


Brothers

by Nikotheamazingspoonklepto



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Baby Butcher, Begins when Ichirou is eight, Big Brother Ichirou, Brotherly Love, Child Abuse, Dark, F/F, F/M, Family Bonding, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kind!Riko, M/M, Multi, Neil as Nathaniel, No Incest, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, RAVENS!, Raven!Allison, Raven!Andrew, Raven!Jeremy, Raven!Neil, Tags May Change, The Power Of Love, This is an angsty family story, future attempted non-con, future attempted rape, long fic, mob, with a happy ending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-05-17 23:42:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 43,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14841449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikotheamazingspoonklepto/pseuds/Nikotheamazingspoonklepto
Summary: Childhood for a Moriyama is brutal.  Exacting.  There is no room for mistakes, no room for love.  Yet when Ichirou's mother breaks the rules and introduces him to newborn Riko, he finds that sometimes, love is involuntary.Ichirou breaks the cycle of shunning his younger brother and does everything he can to be there for his baby brother... Where his father failed to defy the Moriyama traditions and be a brother to Tetsuji, Ichirou will succeed.This is that story.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This story, is something special to me, I have been working on it for many long months, plotting and planning, essentially reworking the entire series and everyone's characters. 
> 
> It is going to be a VERY long story, so please, be patient, subscribe if you wish and ENJOY.
> 
> Thank you to nekojita, fuzzballsheltiepants, mishaschmidt, and my lovely friends who do not have a way for me to list them. THANK YOU! I hope I do ya'll proud.

At eight years old, Ichirou Moriyama peeks around the doorway that leads into his mother’s bedroom - she has never shared one with his father to his knowledge. Saki, one of their maids, moves from beside her bed and he sees her; sitting against the headboard, dressed in a beautiful silk robe as she gazes down at the bundle of blankets in her arms, lips pressed in a tight smile as if trying to repress it. 

He is not ignorant, having been taught by some of the best tutors the Moriyama family can afford - he knew his mother had been with child, even though no one said a word to him about it and he knew better than to ask. Still, he finds himself sneaking through the halls to see his mother and what he knew to be the baby she must have birthed when she left for the hospital in a hurry, two days ago.

For a moment, Ichirou debates whether or not to make his presence known, but curiosity wins out, so he knocks on the door frame, easily gaining his mother’s attention. He notes that even though she is exhausted, her hair is neat and she is prim and proper as the wife of a Moriyama should be. When she looks up to see her son in the doorway, her expression is not one of happiness, but of sadness- an emotion that he has never seen in his mother. Ichirou freezes, looking to his mother, unsure of what to do as they stare.

After waving Saki away, Maaya turns back to her son once they are alone. “Ichi-chan, my darling boy, come here, I want you to meet your little brother,” she waves him over and pats her hand on the bed where she intends for him to sit.

Cautiously, Ichirou looks up and down the hall before slipping into the room, closing the door behind him when his mother tells him to. Once he is sat beside his mother, he peers down at the bundle in her arms and stares at the brown eyes staring back at him. The baby - his brother - coos and a tiny hand reaches for him, gurgling. He remains transfixed, emotions swirling inside of him that he does not understand. Cautiously, he lifts his left hand and reaches toward the bundle, warmth bursting inside his chest when the tiny hand grabs his index finger and a small smile pulls at his lips, his brother giggles and his smile grows.

Maaya studies her oldest son as he interacts with his newborn brother, hope and relief washing over her at once. She has to swallow the ice in her throat, tears fought back for the moment. “His name is Riko, he was born the day before yesterday, on the thirty-first of March, as his brother you should remember that.” Maaya smiles at the way Ichirou hums softly in response, eyes still locked on Riko.

“Happy birthday, little brother,” Ichirou whispers, doing his best to remember the date by repeating it over and over in his head. When he is certain that he will remember the date, he gently attempts to tug his finger from Riko to test his strength, but ultimately lets Riko cling to him without complaint. His other hand comes up to touch Riko’s head, finding his head of black hair to be very soft, the touch makes Riko coo and giggle at him, making Ichirou’s smile grow wider.

“He loves you already, Ichi-chan,” Maaya half chokes and shifts to grasp her son’s chin with her free hand, making him look her in the face.

“Mama?” Ichirou frowns when he meets his mother’s sad gaze, startled when a couple tears trickle down her face, as he has never seen her cry, either. The warmth in his chest begins to seep away as ice-cold fear sinks into his gut. He does not understand why she is crying, why is mama sad?

“I need you to promise me something, Ichi-chan,” Maaya inhales sharply to prevent herself from crying too much, tears continue to stream down her beautiful face. She even cries beautifully, as a perfect Moriyama wife should.

“Yes, what is it mama?” Ichirou wants to look down at his brother when he babbles and tugs his finger, but his mother’s grip won’t allow him to.

“I’m not always going to be around, so I need you to take care of Riko no matter what. I want you to be the best big brother you can be and be there for him. Take good care of him. Do you understand me, Ichirou? Whatever you have to do, to watch over your brother, I want you to do it.” Maaya stares at her son, unblinking and not breaking their connection. “I know you’re young, but you are my brilliant boy, Ichi-chan, you  **will** find a way.”

Ichirou’s eight-year-old brain processes his mother’s words and swallows hard, thinking about this. Any normal eight-year-old boy, who loves their mother with everything they have would accept a request like this without thinking twice. Ichirou is not just any eight-year-old boy though. He is the heir to the main branch of the Moriyama family and ever since he could remember, his day to day life has been spent grooming him for the role as his father’s successor. He grew up with few toys and plenty of books without pictures, Japanese lessons instead of using coloring books and kendo and aikido lessons instead of trips to the playground. He has tutors instead of playmates. The only children around his age that he remembers are the children of the men that worked for his father, were met by glances across the room where children were to be seen and not heard.

He knows that he has an uncle named Tetsuji, a very cold, mean man. Tetsuji co-created a sport named Exy and it constantly grows to be more and more popular all over the world - or so he is told. His grandfather does not speak of Tetsuji as Ichirou’s uncle, but as an employee to the Moriyama family and has referred to him as a mistake - an extra. His grandfather at times looks to Kengo with something akin to pride and he speaks to Ichirou only to express what he expects of him when he is around in New York. On more than one occasion he had punished Ichirou with a slap across his face or hitting his knuckles for asking a simple question when he thought it would be okay. Asking to use the restroom, or slightest amount of uncomfortable squirming was punished - mainly by his grandfather who enforced the belief that he believes children should not be heard and are _only_ to be seen if they are the image of what he believed to be perfection. Ichirou tries his hardest to be what his grandfather expects him to be, but sometimes it is very hard and he makes mistakes that are punished severely.

Knowing what his father and especially his grandfather expect of him, Ichirou is not surprised that his mother does not expect them to look after Riko and decided to ask him to promise to do it instead. Confusion clouds his mind and his posture weakens when his mother doesn’t smile as he nods in agreement to look after his baby brother, her shoulders sagging slightly. She looks so sad and scared again, not his typically happy mother. He wants to help but doesn’t know how.

“I will look after Riko, mama,” he promises, thinking that she needed verbal confirmation, “I will be the best big brother.” Ichirou is proud of himself when he makes his mother smile. He buries his face in his mother’s neck when she wraps her arm around him, breathing her scent in and smiles at the calm, warm feeling that it spreads through him.

“Good boy, good boy Ichi-chan, my perfect boy,” Maaya whispers as tears fall into his short, neat black hair. 

Riko coos and then yawns, his brown eyes fluttering shut. Maaya slowly pulls away until only her arm is around Ichirou’s shoulders and they both look down at the tiny infant cradled to her chest, still clutching Ichirou’s finger in his tiny fist.

“Ichi-chan,” Maaya begins again, this time softer, regaining his attention. “You need to remember what I am about to tell you, okay?” 

Ichirou looks back to his mother and nods, turning his head when she leans in to whisper in his ear, eager to find out what else she has to say.

“In the garden, where we have our morning tea in the summer, there is a rose bush, the one that grows white roses by the stone bench. When you are able to go out there while alone, you will find that there is red string attached to the bush, marking where I buried a small metal box. It is important that you do not let anyone see you and do not let anyone, _especially_ not your grandfather see what you retrieve, do you understand me, Ichirou?”

“Yes, mama, I understand,” Ichirou promises, feeling nervous and wanting to make his mother proud. For a moment he feels the pressure of his mother’s request, but then his baby brother coos and squeezes his finger, soothing his nerves again. Suddenly he is confident. For his mother and for his baby brother, he will do as he is asked.

“I am so proud.” Maaya smiles and kisses Ichirou’s forehead tenderly, lingering for a moment as fresh tears fall. “I love you, Ichi-chan.”

“I love you too mama,” Ichirou whispers back, holding on tightly to his mother.

 

\---

 

Ichirou clenches his fist tightly, standing in the doorway of his mother’s room, watching the two maids; Karin and Saki, sort through and pack away her things. His face is blank of all emotion, whereas any eight-year-old boy would have puffy, red weepy eyes and snot dripping from his nose, mouth curled in an ugly way in an attempt to not sob from the knowledge that his mother is dead. He wants to cry, the tears are ice-cold in his chest. If he were caught behaving so childishly, his father and grandfather would become upset and his grandfather would most likely punish him.

A hand grips his shoulder, very nearly startling him, but he calms himself before he can overreact outwardly and looks up to see his father standing beside him. When his father, Kengo looks down at him and offers a brief, sad smile in an attempt to comfort his oldest son, Ichirou is genuinely surprised as his father very rarely shows any expression, let alone express any form of 'weakness' as his grandfather calls it.

“Time to go, Ichirou-kun, ojiisan is waiting,” Kengo tells him in an even voice, expression blank in the customary Moriyama fashion. 

“Hai, tousan,” Ichirou nods and follows his father through their home to the limousine parked outside to escort them to the funeral. Sitting beside his father and across from his grandfather, Daiki, he zones out while staring out the window, thinking about anything but his mother and baby brother in order to maintain the passive Moriyama facade expected of him, even though he is only eight-years-old. 

His mind drifts back to when his father had found him leaving his mother’s bedroom the day he met Riko and Ichirou had expected to be punished. However, his father only stared at him for a long moment before turning on his heel and leaving the direction he had been coming from. Ichirou hadn’t moved until he heard his father’s own bedroom door close and then darted away to hide in his room until dinner time. That night, Ichirou ate his meal alone and in silence, and then retreated to his room where he attempted to read ahead in the texts assigned by his private tutor. When he continued to be distracted by thoughts of his newborn brother and what his mother had asked of him, he had to stop studying as he was not accomplishing anything.

The next morning a strange woman showed up, oddly enough, she was greeted by his grandfather, who is not around very often unless it is about business and his father had already left for the office, further confusing Ichirou. They spoke quickly and quietly in Japanese and Ichirou could only catch bits and pieces from his vantage point. However, he was able to hear them discussing both Riko and Tetsuji, leaving Ichirou to try and fill in what he did not catch. 

Once his grandfather had left the penthouse, he sought out his mother for answers, by searching every inch of his home, both inside and outside, top to bottom. Neither his mother or baby brother were anywhere to be seen and he could not understand why they were both suddenly _gone_.

“Ichirou-kun.”

Ichirou jolts ever so slightly, coming out of his thoughts and looks at his father. It would seem that it is time to go, he forces away the pain of the last five days away and follows his father and grandfather out of the limousine. By the time they reach the gravesite, Ichirou’s mask is settled back into its proper place, stationed at his father’s side. He is expected to remain silent, eyes kept downcast throughout the short service. He does not know any of the people in attendance, only his father, and grandfather.

With veins cold, nerves numb and vision tunneling, Ichirou flows through the service, the ride home and the walk to his bedroom where he sits on his bed and waits with an aching heart. He does not know what he is waiting for but still, he waits and  _ thinks _ . The New York apartment he lives in is the penthouse of a forty story building in Lower Manhatten, owned by his family. Mother had the outdoor section modified into a garden on the rooftop, that he can see from one of the two windows in his bedroom. 

A pair of feet softly stop outside his closed bedroom door and Ichirou stares at the doorknob with tear-filled eyes, expecting it to turn. A full minute passes and he hears his father’s sigh and the footsteps are a bit more forceful when they walk away. Ichirou frowns, feeling very alone, wanting one of his mother’s warm, soothing hugs. He thinks back to his father’s poor attempt to console him and decides he would gladly take that over the bitter loneliness he has instead. 

Thinking of his mother makes him remember that she told him to retrieve the box from the garden. She told him to make sure that no one sees him and the time on his alarm clock tells him that his father has just left for work, despite having returned from the funeral of his late wife. Now is the time to dig out the box, Karin or Saki would be around, but they won’t bother him usually and his tutor, Brice has the day off because of the funeral - now would be the time. 

Ichirou slides off of his bed and exits his bedroom, heading across the hall to the sitting room. He looks around to make sure he is alone and opens the sliding glass door to step outside to the rooftop garden. He walks around the cobblestone path, staring at the frosty grass and cloth covered plants around him. 

It is chilly, on April ninth, but he sits down on the metal chair that he pulls out from under a tarp that covered it, another chair and a small table where he had morning tea in the summer with his mother - he smiles to himself and looks around the cloth-covered garden to remember where the single white rose bush is. His mother would have started getting the garden ready for spring and summer, but with her being so close to her due date, she didn’t get a chance to. Ichirou’s brow furrows as he tries to remember where the white rose bush is, where that specific bench is, but it is hard to tell where things are under the brown cloths. Eventually, he sees the bench that the white rose bush is planted next to, it is further into the garden, near the high fencing surrounding the edges of their tall building.

Ichirou looks around again to make sure he is alone and walks over to the bench, crouching down to look at the dirt surrounding the bush. A thin, red string is looped around the base of the bush and into the dirt, it is planted in. After a few tugs, a dirty, cold metal box about eight inches by six inches is revealed. Opening the box, he finds a plastic bag taped shut and a thick envelope inside. The package is tucked under his shirt and the box is returned to the hole he dug it up from, dirt packed back into place over it.

Even though he is burning with curiosity, he makes his way inside calmly and into his bedroom. He stops inside his bathroom to wash his hands and sits on the toilet lid, holding the package in his hands. He struggles to fight the sadness spawned from missing his mother that adds to the chill in his veins, knuckles white from clutching his parcel until he forces himself to relax and opens the thick plastic to reveal a manilla envelope, folded in half. Inside are two more envelopes, one is thick, with his name on it and one is thin with Riko’s name.

Carefully, after he sets Riko’s aside, Ichirou opens his envelope. A letter on thick parchment paper, a sonogram photo dated December nineteenth, and two, identical silver pendants falls into his lap. He picks up the pendants, they look brand new, even though they were buried in the garden for however long, the kanji on the rectangular pendants is clear. Family, Courage, Loyalty. He flips it over, the kanji for ‘brothers’ engraved in the back. A note attaching the two chains together tells him that it is a gift for the pair of them.

Next, he picks up the sonogram photo and reads the information printed on it. Flipping it over, he finds, written in sharpie; ‘Riko’s first photo, 12/19’. The ink is smudged with teardrops, making the date smear when they had been rubbed away. The corner he is holding onto crinkles from gripping it too tight. He sets that and the pendants in his lap and opens the tri-folded letter, reading it slowly.

_ -Ichirou _

_ My darling boy, if you are reading this, I am dead and gone, as I felt I would end up, seeing as today I found out my second born would be a boy. Before I explain, just know I love you and I am sorry for putting so much on your shoulders at such a young age, but you are a big brother now and he is going to need you. I want to name him Riko. I know you are somewhat aware of what this family does, you have always been bright, clever and quick. You, as the first born, will inherit the Moriyama business in time and soon you will begin learning your father’s and grandfather’s trade. Your father does own and run an international trading company, but it is a front for … whatever it is that they do. I was never kept in the know so that if I were to ever be taken in, I would not be able to provide information. I’m not asking you to change that, I am just asking you to take care of your brother. _

_ Your uncle Tetsuji is a cold, bitter man, shunned by your grandfather for being the second born son. Do not let that happen to Riko, please, Ichirou, if I know you to be the bright, intelligent and loving boy I raised you to be, prove it. Love Riko, guide him, make sure he has a bright future and will be happy. My older sister was a blessing to have and I know that you having a brother can only be good for the both of you as well. Do what you have to. Family is to be cherished. Sometimes it is all you have. _

_ Be strong, Ichirou. _

_ Love, mama. _

_ PS: Please give Riko his envelope when you think he needs it most. When you are ready, the pendants are a gift for the two of you, so that you may always be connected - a reminder.  _

Ichirou stares at the letter until his vision blurs and tries to blink away his tears, failing to stop them from streaking down his face. Ice rushes through his veins, knowing that his mother has been expecting to die for the past four months. She knew she would die the moment Riko’s sex was revealed and planned for it. 

It takes three tries to swallow his tears and calm himself enough to stumble to his feet. He gathers everything in his arms and pads into his room, over to his desk and opens the bottom drawer. When he was six, his mother showed him the false bottom in the drawer, telling him it is to hide his ‘treasures and secrets’. He takes everything out and removes the false panel, laying the repackaged items in the bottom next to the coin and marble collection he hasn't touched since he was seven in fear of being caught with them and replaces the panel. With the stationary and utensils neatly replaced, he closes the drawer and sits back down on his bed.

Ichirou sniffles and rubs angrily at his tears, but they don’t stop, even as he falls backward to stare at his ceiling, missing his mother desperately, unable to fear punishment for his weakness because of how much he is missing his mother. He thinks about her and Riko, wondering how he will look after Riko who is an infant when he himself is a child at eight-years-old? How will he keep it from his grandfather? Will he have to worry about his father? _When_ is he going to be able to see Riko again? 

Ichirou hiccups softly and sniffles as he squeezes his eyes shut, trying to remember every detail of his mother.  Her reassuring smile. The feeling of her arms around him, petting his hair. The cheer in her voice when she'd praise him for doing a good job. The way she'd smell of jasmine tea in the morning and just before bed. 

Not long after he had created a perfect image of her in his mind, he drifts away into a light slumber, only awakening to Karin knocking on the door to announce dinner. He is not surprised when he ends up eating dinner alone, neither Karin nor the cook bother him. 

He wishes they would have stayed to fill the silence, slouching slightly in his chair.  His mother isn't there to calmly correct his posture - not his grandfather smacking him upside his head or even his father's sharp order to straighten up. A smile does twitch at his lips when her voice whispers in his mind, gently correcting him as she did with everything, unlike his cold father or violent grandfather. He corrects his posture and imagines her nodding and smiling in approval before returning to her own meal. 

Ichirou has to push back the ache from realizing that she would never be around to correct him, ever again and pushes his plate away, sick to his stomach. He is momentarily grateful that father isn’t around and swallows his pain, trying to calm down but is completely lost about what to do now. His mother is _gone_ , leaving him with a heavy last request that he desperately wants to fulfill, and no advice on how to accomplish it or how to not weep at her passing. Ichirou knows that if he starts crying, he will not be able to stop, so he retreats to his bedroom again, praying he is not seen or heard and flings himself to his bed where he cries for the second time that day. Eventually, he cries himself to sleep, still dressed in his funeral suit, on top of the covers and will not wake until his alarm blares at seven am. 

~

Having slept for ten hours, Ichirou feels rested, but also numb and cold. In the bathroom, standing on his footstool to look in the mirror, he sees himself but feels different and does not understand. Both his mother and tutor Brice have always told him that he is remarkably intelligent and intuitive, especially for his age, but the past few days he does not feel that way at all. He tries to tell himself _to be strong, that he needs to move on_ \- cringing at the echo of his grandfather’s only words of advice to him after the funeral.

Ichirou looks away and goes through his morning routine, thinking about his mother’s letter and the promise he made for what feels to be the hundredth time. She wants him to look after his brother and that is what he will do. He has no idea how he will do that though and tries to not sag his shoulders at the breakfast table in sorrow and frustration. It is a struggle to focus on his scheduled tasks with these confusing emotions and thoughts swirling inside of him, but somehow he manages by telling himself that his mother would be proud of him for persevering. Hopefully, he will figure it out.


	2. Chapter 2

“Is everything alright, Ichirou?” Brice, Ichirou's tutor asks, his hand placed in the middle of his student’s back.

Ichirou had been much quieter without his mother around, sadness still lingering in his chest. Last week his grandfather had caught him crying in his mother’s old bedroom when he habitually went to bid her goodnight and was hit with a rush of emotions that he hadn’t been allowed to express. His grandfather grabbed him in a bruising grip by his arm and shouted at him for mourning a ‘whore’ like her. The eight-year-old was slapped for questioning him out of fear and confusion and suddenly his tears were from pain; for crying in pain, he was slapped thrice more. Ichirou didn’t dare ask anything further, in fear of further punishment. After that, he feared to cry for his mother at all.

“Yes, thank you.” Ichirou nods, finishing the final maths problem they were working on together, his small hands carefully writing out the answer on the line provided. “Is this correct, Brice?” He moves his hands away so that Brice can check his worksheet.

After checking the problems on the paper, his hand rubbing small circles on Ichirou’s back, Brice offers him a proud smile. Ichirou cracks a small smile in return, enjoying the praise that follows. “Correct as always, Ichirou. How would you feel about attempting some high school level mathematics?”

“Yes please,” Ichirou agrees easily.

“Excellent, I will bring you some new material tomorrow, but we should get ready for your kendo lesson,” Brice tells him. Since the death of his mother, the tutor has become an attendant, as well as Ichirou's tutor, but is not yet used to his new responsibilities.

“Kendo is on Tuesdays,” Ichirou corrects softly, looking up at his tutor. “I have aikido today.” Ichirou swallows when Brice’s hand freezes on his back, his tutor’s brow pinching.

He relaxes when Brice laughs and nods, laughing to himself. “You’re right, it is Thursday,” he pats his back gently and stands up, clearing their papers and books from Ichirou’s lesson. “Nevertheless, we need to ask Yuudai to meet us in the parking garage. You go change and I’ll meet you at the door.”

“Yes sir,” Ichirou gives a polite bow and does as he is told.

It does not take him long to change into his aikido gi and meets Brice at the door, thanking him when he helps him into his jacket. Brice walks beside Ichirou with a hand between his shoulder blades in a way of guidance.

“I’m sorry, Ichirou, I’m not used to all of this yet. Your mother, even while pregnant, she had a far better handle on this.” Brice tells him while waiting for the elevator.

Ichirou freezes for a moment, blinking away tears as he is reminded that his mother used to accompany him to all of his appointments and lessons, right up until she gave birth. He had been trying so hard to push down the pain so that he would not upset his grandfather so that he would not hit him again.

“I know you must miss her,” Ichirou nods slowly after a beat. “It’s a shame about the baby…” Ichirou freezes before the elevator door, looking up at his tutor with wide eyes.

“What about Riko?” He asks quietly, fear thick in his throat but for an entirely new reason.

The look on Brice’s face tells Ichirou that he hadn’t meant to say anything, he pulls away from the hand that reaches out to comfort him. He hates the look on his tutor turned escort’s face.

“What about Riko!?” He demands, trying to not sound too childish, but now he is scared. So many emotions that his father and grandfather had told him to keep to himself are welling up and spilling over, just as his frustrated tears threaten to do.

“Ichirou, I…” Brice swallows hard as he is stared down by his eight-year-old charge, fisting his hands knuckle white before he speaks. “Lord Moriyama said you knew… it was a case of SIDs,” Brice tells Ichirou softly, “sudden infant death, it is quite common. I am so sorry Ichirou, I was told not to bring it up - I-I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry.”

So his grandfather and in turn his father had tried to keep him from finding out about his brother on top of becoming violently angry when he grieved his mother. The pain in Ichirou’s chest is indescribable, the tears blur his vision and streak down his cheeks. He feels as if he has already failed to fulfill his mother’s last wish, not even having the chance to look after his baby brother and now he never will have the chance to try.

Needing to escape, Ichirou bolts, crashing through the stairwell door and up the stairs to the roof access door, Brice shouting his name behind him. Ichirou bangs on the door, feeling something snap inside him and cries, his small fists banging uselessly on the door until he tires and slides down to the floor. He is unhearing of the soft words being spoken to him and numb to the hands picking him up. His only thought is that he’s failed before he can try.

 

\---

 

Kengo Moriyama is the first born to Daiki Moriyama and acting Lord and CEO to the international trading company his family founded to cover up their underground crime ring. Not to put too fine of a point on it. His face is blank with practice ease, eyes averted respectfully from his father, periodically glancing up to show he is listening as his father stares him down from Kengo’s home office chair. Although Kengo is the successor to his father’s business, he still disciplines him like a child, even though he just came home from a long day’s work mere moments ago.

He has no idea as to why his father has been around so much either. Daiki should be in Japan, running the business that had originated from their homeland. Not in America. Not in New York. Not in his home.

“I have already dealt with your whore for going against my family’s wishes, which is also in part your fault for not dealing with her. It is also your duty to shape your son to succeed you when the time comes, as I have shaped you, boy,” Daiki leans back in his son’s home office chair, his crows feet wrinkling further as he narrows his eyes at him, fury heavy in his chest.

Kengo works hard to not respond outwardly to the mention of his late wife, Maaya. They may have wedded because of an arrangement made by his father, but he still cared for her enough to feel pained by her loss. He knew his eldest son would be heartbroken from the loss of his mother and now Kengo has no clue what his second son even looks like, as he knew the fate of both of them because of the infant’s sex being male. The infant was fated to be banished, the same as his own younger brother Tetsuji, who he has not spoken to in years, he has not seen him in a decade. However, now his own banished second born is going to be raised by his uncle, also a banished second born. Knowing how Tetsuji turned out to be a cruel, cold and bitter man, he fears for how his second born will turn out.

“Yes, my lord, I understand,” Kengo says obediently, eyes meeting his father’s briefly before quickly averting. Why is he here, he has to wonder, as fear whispers at his spine and panic clenches in his chest. His father rarely visited him, let alone surprised him, which is never a good thing and since Maaya’s funeral, he has been here much more frequently.

“Your son made quite the spectacle of himself this morning,” Daiki says, voice clipped. “In turn, he brought unwanted attention to us because of that fool you employed to both tutor and escort him does not know how to keep him in check.” Daiki raises from Kengo’s chair and steps around the desk, approaching his son. “How are we going to address this?”

“I will speak to the boy,” Kengo replies, meeting his father’s eyes and grunts as his head snaps to the side upon being backhanded, he touches his mouth and looks at his fingers to find blood. “Father, I-” Kengo grunts and grits his teeth upon being slapped again, keeping his mouth shut and not trying to speak again.

“Twice,” Daiki tells him, gripping his son’s jaw and forces him to look at him. “Corporal punishment is all it took for me to correct you and get you to understand when you were a child and even now as a man,” he glances over his son for a moment. “Speaking to him will not work, you and your whore coddled the boy for too long. Change your methods,” he orders and wrenches his hand away, shoving his son back. “Correct him now, I will not be embarrassed again by his and thus your mistakes.”

“Yes sir,” Kengo nods and takes the second shove as an order to move, making his way to his son’s room, Daiki right behind him. A fear he had not felt since he was a teenager clutches at his spine as they climb the stairs, palms sweating once he reaches Ichirou’s door. Kengo blanks out numbly when they enter his son’s room, the young boy curled up on his bed with a photograph in his arms, tears drying on his cheeks. Seeing the panic in his son’s eyes makes Kengo freeze, wondering what the hell he is doing here with the intention of violently punishing his son the way his father had done to him when he was a boy.

Kengo opens his mouth to protest this course of action, but his father shoves past, knocking him into the door frame and grabs Ichirou before the boy has enough time to get to his feet. The angry look on Daiki’s face as he reprimands his grandson is nothing compared to the look of panic on Ichirou’s face - then pain when backhanded for flinching. The senseless punishment that progresses has Kengo rigid where he was cast to lean against the doorframe. Ichirou’s cries of pain are punished with more blows that turn this punishment into a beating - abuse.

Daiki stands over his grandson with his hand raised and demands him to get on his feet and grabs a fist full of hair. “Do you understand why you are being punished?” Ichirou sniffles and flinches, earning him another slap across the face. “Answer me!”

“F-for being an embarrassment!” Ichirou cries, struggling to hold back his tears.

“I will not allow such a weakling succeed me, if you ever act out like that again, embarrassing myself or my family name, there will be further correction.” Daiki’s voice is cold and biting, scaring not only Ichirou but Kengo as well.

“Yes, sir!” Ichirou nods, forcing himself to not cry out as he is pushed back and catches himself before he can fall into his bed frame.

“Clean yourself up,” Daiki orders before pulling away, only to get in Kengo’s face. “Do not allow it to come to this again.” Daiki brushes past his son and disappears from the second floor and then out of the penthouse altogether.

Kengo looks across the room to Ichirou, hating the fear he sees in his face, the way his eyes lock onto his split lip, matching his son’s. Unable to look his son in the eye he leaves his room, closing the door with shaking hands. A very expensive scotch in his office awaits him, hating himself for being too afraid of his father to stop him from beating his son. Kengo deserved the blows he received as punishment for not protecting Ichirou.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry.
> 
> Kengo the Coward, how you doing?
> 
> ;_;
> 
> Ichirou...


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cold.

Brice is certainly less bright while correcting Ichirou’s english assignment beside his student and charge who is working on the calculus problem before him. Ichirou can feel his tutor’s eyes on him every few minutes, probably staring at his split lip that he did not have the day before. His comforting hands do not stroke soothing circles into his back today, they did not even pet his hair when he showed up at eight, to work, wearing a turtleneck, and his voice is hoarse when he speaks to Ichirou.

Ichirou looks up from his worksheet to let his tutor check, eyes falling to the camera in the upper corner of the study they are working in. He wonders who is watching on the other end of the feed. Being a Moriyama and knowing what his mother told him in the letter, they always have high security to keep an eye on him. He looks to Brice and tilts his head in question, thinking about how his grandfather said he embarrassed the family with his outburst yesterday. 

“I’m sorry if I embarrassed you yesterday,” Ichirou apologizes softly, reigning in the flinch he feels as Brice snaps his gaze from the worksheet to his face. Brice stares him down for a moment, causing Ichirou to avert his eyes, feeling as if he is about to be reprimanded.

“Focus on your work and do not act like that again,” Brice commands, his voice still hoarse, yet harsh and wavering slightly at the end. The tutor clenching his fist against his thigh, looking to Ichirou’s worksheet again, ending the conversation.

Ichirou wants to sag his shoulders, feeling rejected by his tutor, but now knows better than to say or do anything to show his weakness. He has lost his mother and her warmth, Riko is gone too and he had barely spent an hour with him, now Brice is shutting him out. Not wanting to disappoint anyone else by failing, Ichirou tries his hardest, pushing himself to be the best.

 

\---

 

Ichirou spends the next few years working himself to the bone, managing to excel academically with high grades, but the lack of praises from Brice or anyone else makes it feel pointless. He tells himself that his mother and Riko would have been proud. His aikido and kendo instructors work him as hard as he works himself, the praises are non-existent for him, but comments on how he may improve are in plentiful supply. He feels himself growing colder, his tone flat, expression blank. He has stopped crying or being overly expressive in fear of another beating - yet he does occasionally slip up, so he does not flinch anymore around his grandfather and his father hardly even looks at him.

His last few birthdays have been quiet, but without anyone to celebrate with, he does not notice. Brice stops coming to tutor or escort him within the year, sending a packet of assignments each week for him to complete on his own. A man named Taki takes over escorting him to and from his lessons and his interactions with anyone outside of him, his father and grandfather, is almost nonexistent. The only reason he realized it was his tenth birthday, was because his grandfather presented him with a katana and told him that he would begin learning proper sword fighting as is the tradition for the men in the Moriyama family. Ichirou did not question him and focused on becoming the best at this as well. He learned quickly when it became clear that mistakes, even as a novice, would also be punished. 

He meets Nathan Wesninski a few months later, flanked by a woman named Lola and is taught the art of wielding knives. On this day he learns just a part of what the Moriyama family does when he hears his grandfather refer to Nathan as his ‘Butcher’. For not the first time, Ichirou is thankful that he has learned to school his features as he does not want to think about how many people have been tortured for information or how many people his father and grandfather have ordered the deaths of. Ichirou suspects that he will be expected to do the same.

His suspicions are correct, he realizes when presented with the corpse of a pig, unable to stop himself from flinching when Lola orders him to cut it. Lola taunted his reluctance, grabbing his hands and guiding him through carving the dead animal. The entire time he is told that this will not be the first lesson, that he should be grateful that his father ordered them to not practice on _his_ skin. They do not tell his grandfather about his reluctance, merely telling him that they will eventually progress to live victims, that he will be expected to be able to defend himself as he is a successor of the Moriyama family.

Ichirou pales when presented with a medium size dog, ordered to kill it, he ends up vomiting afterward and hates himself for showing weakness, especially when his grandfather finds out. He hates his grandfather for the split lip and the bruises on his concealed flesh that he receives for embarrassing him in front of his employee. He hates his father for not meeting his pleading gaze to stop Daiki from making him apologize this way, the man landing another blow when he looked over to Kengo. Ichirou does not understand why his father does nothing to stop him, even less as to why Daiki always finds something wrong in everything he does.

However, Ichirou knows that there is nowhere for him to go and simply grits his teeth and apologizes, promising to do better and before he knows it, a couple of months pass and he isn’t even flinching when blood splatters on his clothes from slicing open _this_ dog’s arteries. Satisfied with his skill, Lola tells him to take good care of his knives and only tests and refines his skills on the infrequent occasions that Nathan and she visit. He is eleven and half when a gun is placed in front of him, even if he is spiteful that it is on his mother’s birthday. Taki, as one of the Moriyama’s several associates, is given the task of carefully walking Ichirou through the process of cleaning and using the handgun before moving on to actually firing the weapon. His aim is shaky and although he is built and strong from aikido and kendo - and now swordsmanship - his body aches from the recoil and the smell of gunpowder is just as bad as blood. Taki says that he will have to deal with it more and more as he is groomed to one day succeed Kengo.

At twelve and a half years old, Ichirou Moriyama is awarded his black belt in aikido. He is progressing quickly in his swordsmanship training and improving his accuracy at the shooting range. Brice tells him that he is reading at college level in a letter accompanying his weekly assignment packet. His Japanese is near flawless, starting to study Arabic now by his grandfather’s order, yet he enjoys the challenge. Ichirou’s successes would make any family proud, however, the Moriyamas are not just any family. 

Ichirou stares as his father sneaks past the stairs to the main floor while Daiki levels Ichirou with a cool look. He wants to go to bed, drowning out his grandfather’s clipped tone, uncaring of what remix of ‘you can do better’ lecture he is giving him, having caught him at the top of the stairs before he could escape to his bedroom, still in his practice gi. With all of the activities added to his schedule, he has to be up at six to study all morning, before heading to one of his many practical lessons and Ichirou is _tired_ , too tired to be afraid at this moment.

It is _because_ of these extracurriculars, that Ichirou is able to react as fast as he does, hand grabbing his grandfather’s wrist before he can strike him for zoning out. It is Daiki’s own fault, Ichirou thinks, for putting him through such hell, punishing him and pushing him for so long that Ichirou shoves the man down the flight of stairs before he can speak. His brown eyes are as blank as his expression as he watches him tumble down the hard steps, the surprised yell that ceases upon cracking his skull on the hard floor, blood slowly pooling beneath him, body prone, his neck in an unnatural position. Ichirou shifts his gaze to his father at the bottom of the stairs, beside where Daiki landed.

“Ichirou…” Kengo whispers, stepping back from the blood pool creeping closer to his feet, looking between his son at the top of the stairs and his father at the bottom.

His father saying his name breaks the spell, causing Ichirou to jolt and really takes in the scene before him. He just murdered his grandfather, there is no way around it, he shoved his abusive, awful grandfather down a flight of stairs and killed him. He half expects his father to yell and to punish him himself, unable to move from where he stands with only the stairs between them. Only, Kengo reacts calmly, pulling his phone out of his pocket and dials a number, rapidly speaking Japanese to whoever is on the other end.  Ichirou is too numb to understand anything he is saying.

Kengo hangs up the phone and then steps over his father’s body to climb the stairs, approaching his son and frowns when Ichirou pulls back from his outstretched hand. “It‘s okay,” it occurs to Kengo that Ichirou hasn't received a kind touch quite possibly since Maaya died. 

“I’m sorry,” is all Kengo is able to say before he wraps his arms around Ichirou, thankful that his son returns the embrace.

The two of them cling to each other, Ichirou shaking with his face buried in his father’s neck, Kengo holding Ichirou tight, the way he had wanted to ever since he was born. Daiki’s controlling, obsessive and abusive nature prevented that, especially since Maaya’s death- _her murder_. Kengo does not let go until the sound of their penthouse intercom goes off and goes to meet the ‘cleaners’. Ichirou stands at the top of the stairs and watches the men work, his father on his phone again, making arrangements with his associates. Daiki’s body is taken away, the stairs and floor scrubbed and sanitized, it looks as if it there was never any bloody, dead body there at all.

Ichirou is still at the top of the stairs long after his grandfather’s body is gone, sitting at the top step, slouched, tear tracks drying on his face- he didn't know why he cried, but he let the tears fall. His body twitches every few minutes, trying to come to terms with the fact that he just killed someone and it was his abusive grandfather no less. Killing and carving up a screaming dog was one thing and he grew numb to it, killing a human being is another. His eyes look to his father when he makes his way up the steps, two glasses of amber liquid in hand, a contemplative expression on his face. Ichirou slides over when prompted, allowing his father to sit next to him, mirroring his poor posture.

“I’d say this a good a time as any for your first drink,” Kengo says, holding one of the glasses to his son and clinks them together when he takes it and drains his entire glass in one swallow. He watches Ichirou cough from the burning liquid, clapping a hand on his back and offers his comfort as best as he can. He had grown numb to bloodier situations than this a long time ago. The victim being his father hadn’t made a difference.

“What happens now?” Ichirou asks lightly still staring down at the now clean floor, still trying to understand how he is feeling and now trying to understand that his father is comforting him, touching him kindly and being _there_ for him like he wanted him to be for years.

“Move forward,” Kengo replies hand soothing circles into his son's back and then wraps his arm around Ichirou's shoulders, pulling him to his side. “You’re a Moriyama, he won’t be your last…” he admits.

“I did not expect him to be the first, I knew it would happen one day, but not him,” Ichirou confesses, leaning into his father, grateful for his comforting touch. Honestly, it is helping - a lot. 

“Do not focus on that,” Kengo tells him. “It happened and it will happen again and you must not let it affect you or you will suffer.”

Ichirou finally looks away from the spot on the floor and up at his father, swallowing hard at the emotions on his face. His father is genuine and it is healing for Ichirou. Finally, he has the father he has always wanted- needed. “Okay,” he understands and with his father being there for him, he expects that he really will be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ow. My heart.
> 
> So yeah, Ichirou is twelve now! My baby... 
> 
> and Daiki... FUCK. YOU. Your death was too fucking quick.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Kudos and Comments are greatly appreciated!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kayleigh and Tetsuji.
> 
> Riko and Kevin.

Riko blinks his big brown eyes and tilts his head at the woman crouched down before him, her long black hair spills over her shoulder in waves, her bright green eyes are soft. Riko giggles and reaches out with his hand to touch her hair, making the woman smile. He thinks he recognizes her, but he is more interested in the fact that she is paying attention to him.

_Smiling_ at him.

“Hi Riko, you’re getting big, aren’t you?” Kayleigh asks in her soft Irish lilt, shifting on her knees and looks down at her son, clutching her side and pets his soft black hair. “Riko, do you remember Kevin?” She asks softly while coaxing her son to stop hiding his face.

“Kevin?” Riko repeats the name, the name echoing in his head. Saying his name gets the boy clutching Kayleigh’s clothing to look away from where his face was hidden, focusing on Riko with the same green eyes as his mother. “Kevin...” Riko says again and giggles at a sudden, happy memory surfacing. “Exy.”

“That’s right,” Kayleigh smiles. “Exy. Kevin, darling, do you remember Riko?”

Kevin stares at Riko and nods, his tiny fists clutching his mother’s shirt. “Riko.”

“They aren’t even two years old yet, Kayleigh,” Tetsuji grunts from the doorway of the room he sticks Riko in for the caregiver to watch over. The boy is a nuisance and can’t be more than a hindrance until he can properly pick up a racquet and _play_. “We have work to do.”

Kayleigh rolls her eyes and presses a kiss to Kevin’s forehead. “Be a good boy, Kevin, mommy needs to work now. Play with Riko.”

“Mommy?” Kevin looks up at his mother when she stands, green eyes watering at the word ‘work’. “No work mommy!” Kevin whines, grabbing her pants in his fists.

“Kevin,” Kayleigh tries softly, shooting a sharp look at Tetsuji when she hears him sigh. “Kevin, play with Riko. He’s your best friend, remember?”

Riko looks up at Kayleigh when she says his name and back at Kevin when he whimpers because Kayleigh is prying his fingers off of her pants. “Kevin,” Riko says his name, happy when Kevin looks to him. “Exy!” He picks up the exy ball he’d been playing with, in both of his hands and shows it to him. “Exy! Kevin play!” Riko trembles excitedly when Kevin lets go of Kayleigh and toddles over to him, plopping down in front of him. Giggling, Riko rolls the ball over to Kevin, watching Kevin pass it back.

Kayleigh smiles at this and then at Tetsuji. “Adorable,” she laughs at Tetsuji’s eye roll. “Bye boys, play nice.” When her words fall on deaf ears, the boys passing the ball back and forth, she gives an affectionate shake of her head and walks out of the room, nudging her partner. “You’re such a grump, Tetsuji, those are our legacies right there!”

“Riko is my _nephew_ ,” Tetsuji coolly reminds her. “If he can prove any sort of skill as a striker, him or your boy, I’ll consider it.”

“Whatever,” Kayleigh sighs.

 

\---

 

“They are just over three and a half,” Kayleigh comments with amazement in her voice. Beside her is Tetsuji as they watch her son and his nephew, playing with their custom exy racquets and armor, fitted in their tiny uniforms. She shifts her gaze to Tetsuji, blinking at his impassive expression. “How’d you get them so coordinated? They were stumbling when I left - barely knocking down _one_ of the cones.”

Tetsuji shifts his gaze to Kayleigh momentarily and then back to the boys, playing just outside the court, against the outer plexiglass wall, their cones lined up and already knocked down and practicing actual passes. “You’ve seen how I train my Ravens.”

 

~

 

_“Uncle, I’m tired…” Riko whimpers, his tiny arms shaking from running the first drill over and over, looking up at the unimpressed expression his uncle’s face. Beside him, his best friend Kevin, who’d been around every day since the beginning of the week - a real treat, someone to always be by his side!- is breathing hard as well, trembling. They've never practiced all day like the big kids do - it's hard! - and his uncle has been pushing them harder and keeping them to practice longer every day. Giving them shorter breaks._

_“You can stop when I say you can stop,” Tetsuji orders evenly. He had taken time out of his schedule to personally work with the boys for two hours a day, having one of his assistant coaches train them while he worked with his actual Ravens or did paperwork for the ERC. Neither Kevin nor Riko are all that dedicated just yet, but, he’ll fix that._

_“But our arms hurt…” Kevin whimpers, staring up at his godfather with hopeful eyes._

_Tetsuji steps forward, taking his cane up in his right hand and wordlessly sweeps both of their legs out from under them, their custom armor and helmets protecting them, but just barely. He allows them the shriek in what must be pain and panic for thirty seconds, before getting annoyed - he’s dealt with worse pain when he was their age, ungrateful brats._

_“Get. Up.” He orders coldly. “Get up! Now!” Shouting when they aren’t fast enough._

_Riko and Kevin scramble to their feet, huddled together, heads down, sniffling. Shaking._

_“You will look at me!” Tetsuji snaps and narrows his eyes at the tears he finds in their eyes when they obey, rapidly streaking down their faces, lips quivering. “Stop your disgusting sniveling! Pick up your racquets!”_

_They whimper while they comply, arms shaking, but their tiny fists clutching them tightly._

_“You say your arms are tired, but clearly, you can still hold your racquets. If you can still stand, you can play. If you can still hold your racquet, you can play. Is that understood!?”_

_“Yes!” Riko and Kevin call out, afraid of the man who usually pays them no mind, screaming at them._

_“That is ‘Yes, Master’, to you!” Tetsuji punctuates his order with slamming the butt of his cane against the ground. When the boys flinch, he shoves them backward. “Understood!?”_

_“Yes, Master!”_

_“Run the drill!”_

_“Yes, Master!”_

_Tetsuji only lets them stop when their racquets slip from their trembling hands, shoving them both the floor and leaves them there, struggling to stand, after he's told them to change out._

_~_

_After another week of this grueling routine, the boys don’t flinch at Tetsuji’s aggressive demeanor, only allowing silent tears to streak down their faces, grateful that they aren’t punished for them._

_Kevin manages to knock over two cones in a row before Riko and fights a flinch when Tetsuji reaches out to him, confused when his shoulder is gripped -not roughly- and is given a nod._

_The Master is pleased._

_Kevin beams and keeps going._

_Riko sees this and tries even harder, not sure why, but knows he wants his uncle Tetsuji to be proud of him too. But he fails to impress Tetsuji by the end of their two-hour private practice, resulting in both of the boys being knocked onto the ground - they are partners, Tetsuji says, 'partners are punished equally', so ‘work harder’._

_The next day Riko knocks over three cones in a row and soaks up the positive attention given for it. Kevin matches him and they don’t receive any punishment. It's a good day that is one of the few they experience, having more practices that end with their muscles blown out or in tears._

_Still, they train hard. Trying to earn those good days. Those praises and pleased looks._

_The month that Kayleigh had left her son in Tetsuji’s care goes by, the boys working out The Master’s pattern, aiming to please. They eventually do, managing to grow stronger despite their age, not allowed to do anything but play exy, sleep when allowed, eat when allowed. Tutoring, only because it is required, is allowed for an hour a day - only allowed during scheduled downtime._

_Nothing else matters. Just exy._

_Tetsuji doesn’t hit them when they play well. They receive praise for exceeding his expectations. Exy is good, because it brings them good things. So they will keep playing._

 

_~_

 

Kayleigh stares at him for a long moment and then shrugs. “Probably no worse than my Clovers.” She turns back just in time to see Kevin catch a rebound from Riko that should not have been possible for a boy his age. “That’s my boy! He’s going to be incredible.”

It is Tetsuji’s turn to stare at Kayleigh, thinking about how in the month that she had left, her son had improved under his tutelage and pushed his own nephew to train just as hard. It is everything he’d been anticipating when he took Riko on as a project. Not good for much else, in his opinion. His thoughts drift to Kevin’s baptism, being named his godfather and the person to gain custody should anything happen to his mother, as the father - some man she knew and slept with, a nobody - is unaware of Kevin’s existence.

“Why don’t I keep Kevin for a little longer, you’re going to be working with your team directly next week, to prepare for when you’re touring, come back for Christmas.” He suggests.

“Christmas or Epiphany?” Kayleigh frowns. “I’m not leaving him for _another_ month either way.” Her gaze returns to the two small boys, pausing to watch the Ravens running drills on the actual court. “Kevin is impressionable, thank you for taking him while I was flying every other day, but I can’t leave him behind like this all of the time.”

Tetsuji feigns a sigh and nods. “Alright, I can keep Kevin for another week and then I’ll come to _you_ and see your Clovers’ progress. Maybe it will be good for Riko. Does that sound acceptable?” When Kayleigh agrees, Tetsuji allows a grin to spread across his face and excuses himself. He has a favor to call in.

 

\---

 

Riko holds Kevin’s hand, just as tight as Kevin clutches his, frowning while watching Kevin wipe away tears, his sobbing only produces more of them. “It’s okay Kevin,” he tells him quietly.

Kevin just wails louder and throws himself at Riko, hugging him hard. Riko looks up at his uncle Tetsuji, hoping for... he doesn’t know what, but he never sees him around unless it is to oversee their training. He doesn't know how to react to his uncle approaching them for something non-exy related.

“Stop crying, Kevin,” Tetsuji glares, having allowed this for five minutes already, after telling the boys - mainly Kevin - that Kayleigh is gone and is never coming back because she's dead. “Your mother would be disgusted if she saw you crying over her like this.”

Kevin whimpers, trying to stop his tears, clutching Riko hard, glad to be held just as tight in return.

Tetsuji rolls his eyes, gripping his cane tight to stop himself from disciplining them - but only just this once - for Kayleigh. “I’m being soft…” He mutters in Japanese, shaking his head at them. “Brat,” He addresses Riko, “you have an hour to make him stop before I expect you both on the court for practice.”

“Yes, Master.” Riko nods at his uncle, tears in his own eyes, Kevin’s whimpering and tears on his neck are triggering his own sadness.

“Disgusting.” Tetsuji walks out of the room, leaving the boys in the care of their handler.

He needs to prepare statements and make arrangements now that the press has gotten wind of Kaleigh Day’s untimely demise. It was easy enough to ask the main branch for assistance in removing Kayleigh from the picture. It was easy because despite his father, Daiki, who sees Tetsuji as a worthless inconvenience, his older brother, Kengo, seemed keen on sporadically attempting to connect with him, but only in secret.

Tetsuji has never wanted anything from that coward, that is until he did.

All it took was a simple call to Kengo, a few weeks before Christmas - a pointless holiday that calls his Ravens away from the Nest - and asked to have Kayleigh dealt with. Kengo, the fool, jumped at the chance to _maybe_ \- when it is really never - build a relationship with his younger brother - the one he always claimed to have wanted when Tetsuji was required to report to him and did as Tetsuji asked. Needless to say, Tetsuji granted his brother a phone call Christmas day and told him that Riko showed promise before hanging up, as thanks for getting rid of Kayleigh. He only did this because he needs Kengo to hold on to that sliver of hope that he still has a chance, just in case he needs to manipulate him further.

If Kengo _really_ wanted a relationship with him, he would have done it when they were children, not when they were both adults in their thirties. The fucking coward.

Of course, Tetsuji knows that their father is a horrible, cruel, abusive man. He had been on the receiving end of his abuse many times and knows Kengo was too, he'd seen the bruises and heard the screams until he was old enough to be sent off to boarding school. He went to a strict, Catholic boarding school where he was beaten for ungodly transgressions and used that hardship to push himself forward. He and Kayleigh met at university when she came from Ireland, and they created this sport together and pushed toward success.

Tetsuji used his anger and shitty past to pull out from under the main branch and show them that even as a second son, he could make something of himself. And he did. Kayleigh did not see the possibilities in shaping her son to become the perfect player and it cost her, her life. Without Kayleigh in the way, he’ll use Kevin and Riko to show Daiki and Kengo what he is capable of.

Maybe Daiki will see that even though he’s the second born, that he really is worth something and grovel at his feet. He hopes he does, so he can spit in his face and humiliate him by rejecting him. He does not need Daiki - he did without a father his entire life, same with his older brother.

They’ll see.

 

\---

 

“Riko…” Kevin calls softly, later that night after practicing, his arms tingling from working himself for hours on end. He should have passed out, but he is finally able to stop and think about what his godfather told him. His mother is gone. He needs her but...

“Riko?” Kevin calls out again when his best friend doesn’t respond and turns over in his bed, facing Riko’s across the room.

They share a bedroom in the Nest, in the black hall. There are several rooms in this hall, but they are the only ones who have a room as the college student Ravens in the Red hall on the opposite end of the Nest. The blackness of the room is unnerving, the only light provided to them coming from the cracked door of their private bathroom, that their ‘handler’ gets them ready in each ‘morning’.

Riko stirs when his name is called the third time, turning his head to look across the room in the darkness at the silhouette of his best friend in his own bed. “Kevin?” He yawns, blinking away his exhaustion.

“Can I sleep with you?” Kevin asks quietly, his voice trembles in the Irish lilt that comes out every so often.

“Yeah,” Riko whispers just as quietly, shuffling toward the wall when he hears Kevin get up and pad across the carpeted flooring and climbs into the tall dormitory issued bed. He’s glad to have his best friend close by because Kevin is always good to Riko, so Riko wants to keep Kevin as near as possible. As often as possible.

“I miss my mammy,” Kevin confesses quietly, sniffling as tears well up again.

“...I don’t have a mommy either,” Riko realizes, reaching across the gap between them, their trembling, tired hands interlocked. “Why don’t I have a mommy?” All he has is his uncle Tetsuji - not that he understands what that means exactly - and Kevin.

“I don’t know, Riko.” Kevin curls closer to his best friend, whimpering.

Riko curls closer to Kevin, the two of them clinging to each other. “The Master said you’re my a-a-adop - adoptive brother now.” His sleepy brain tries to remember what his uncle had said when he pulled him aside at practice, telling him Kevin is his responsibility now. What did that mean?

“What’s adoptive mean?”

“The Master told me to not bother him with stupid questions.” Before shoving him to the ground.

“Miss Annabeth might tell us then.” Kevin pauses to wipe his face of his tears. “But I know 'brother' means we’re family.”

“Like The Master is family?” Riko wrinkles his nose, not understanding.

“I think being brothers is better family than an uncle.” Kevin insists when he feels Riko tense up - glad when he relaxes - he can see his face now that his eyes are adjusted. Riko’s eyes are wide.

“Better?”

Kevin nods. “We’ll be the best brothers.”

“Promise?” Riko squeezes Kevin’s hand.

“Promise.” Kevin squeezes back, hugging Riko after. He still misses his mother, but Riko is there for him. Riko holds him as he does Riko - exhausted - until they are both asleep.

 

\---

 

Tetsuji twists his cane in his hand, pacing as he watches his Ravens’ scrimmage - an abnormal habit for him - thinking about the conversation he just had. He _almost_ didn’t answer his brother’s phone call, but something made him take it despite expecting Kengo to try and connect with him, only to hear three words:

‘ _Father is dead.’_

Kengo did not sound upset - Tetsuji didn’t expect him to be - he did sound exhausted as he gave him the details. Well… the details that would be released to the press, Tetsuji didn’t believe Kengo's heart attack story for a second. He’d _love_ to know how it actually happened, but he’ll never ask his brother. _Never_.

Unfortunately, the death of Daiki means that the acting lord must meet with his 'employees' - which involves a group of several people he would rather not deal with face to face - his brother obviously counted among them. So he arranged for them to come to him so that he would be on his own turf, familiar ground to give him even the slightest advantage.

The death of their father also means that he won’t be able to prove to Daiki that he is, in fact, of worth without being a part of the main branch. The name Moriyama didn’t get him where he is.

He can’t show him what he is capable of…

No matter.

Tetsuji returns his attention to his smallest Ravens - his charges, his projects - running the second drill along the outside of the plexiglass. Riko and Kevin have come far in the last seven months he’s had the two of them on a new training schedule that he designed specifically for them. Even at four years old, they are better than some of the little league players he’s seen. He wants them to be the best little leaguers by the time they turn five, and better when they can join a little league team by the time they turn seven. With exy as their primary focus, the partner system he has in place, Kevin and Riko push each other hard every day to the point Tetsuji hardly has to do anything other than correct their mistakes.

Because of earning his Bachelor's degree in business management and sports psychology, Tetsuji knows how to run a business and train his athletes - appeal to their wants and needs. Most of his Ravens want fame and glory - to be the best - his pet projects, however, both _want_ and _need_ praise and affection. He gave them exy as their focus and motivated them with praise. Thankfully he does not need to provide them with affection - not his area - which is what the partner system is for, Kevin and Riko look after each other and are all they need.

Other than exy.

He’ll just have to prove to his brother now, that he doesn’t need anything from him and will show the world what a Moriyama can really do. What a Moriyama really is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay, I just really, REALLY, have difficulty writing child abuse. It's upsetting. :/
> 
> Thank you for reading.
> 
> Be on the lookout for Chapter Five! 
> 
> Also... please remember what I have tagged, just for future chapters.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading! Kudos and Comments are sincerely appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally.

“Ichirou,” Kengo approaches his son ten days after Lord Daiki Moriyama’s death. The headlines were mournful and associates extended their condolences for the loss of the lord as well as trying to get closer to Kengo, now that he is the full-time CEO (and mob boss), Daiki no longer his manipulative shadow. The official story is that Daiki suffered a heart attack while climbing the stairs and falling to his death. The underground associates who assisted in cleaning up the mess know better but say nothing. He regards his son carefully, looking around the garden that his late wife had modified the rooftop into, his son returned to having his morning tea now that it is summer and took to tending to the garden himself. It is coming along nicely, he thinks.

“Yes sir?” Ichirou looks up from his assigned reading and tea, following his father with curious eyes as he sits in the chair across from him. He marks the page he is on and closes his book when he sees the seriousness in his posture.

“I apologize for taking so long to tell you this, but you should know that Riko… Riko is alive.” Kengo watches his son as he stares at him in surprise, anger washing over him and then relief before anger seeps in again.

“Where is he?” Ichirou bites, struggling to keep calm.

“In West Virginia with your uncle, my father … I do not understand his reasoning for how he handled it or why both of our brothers were banished for being the second born son. I do not know why he did not want you to know he was alive.” Kengo shakes his head, clutching his shaking hands. “My brother… resents me, to put it lightly and I regret that my father took him away from me and I blame him for the cruel hateful man that Tetsuji turned out to be. Do not let this happen to Riko,” he presses his son.

“Mama told me the same thing,” Ichirou admits, staring at the cover of his book.

“I am not surprised, she was always a loving person.”

“He killed mama, didn’t he?” Ichirou looks up at his father again, swallowing at the solemn nod he is given and then glares at his teacup. “He got what he deserved,” he whispers.

“Maybe so,” Kengo shrugs, stopping there. He wants to tell Ichirou that he shouldn’t feel that way, but in this family, it is hard to avoid when you have the ability to murder someone and clean it up very quickly without being caught. “Tetsuji has plans to shape him into the best Exy player in the world and play for the Ravens when he is old enough.”

“I want to see him,” Ichirou pushes.

“I have to meet with a few associates next week to deal with your grandfather's passing, you can come with me,” Kengo nods, watching Ichirou nod back and look away nervous, but determined. He hopes that Ichirou will be able to repair the damage he did nothing to prevent happening.

 

\---

 

Ichirou smoothes the faded manilla envelope in his hands that he brought for comfort, eyes focused on watching the world move outside of the one-way vehicle window. His father is beside him, skimming a document in hand. Yuudai, one of two men who accompanied them on the journey is driving them to Edgar Allan University, Castle Evermore coming up quickly. Ichirou feels nervous, uncertain as to why when Yuudai pulls into a parking garage and parks in front of a staircase, ignoring the parking spaces. A familiar face watches the car - Lola smiles at the sight of the vehicle, spinning a knife in her hand. Ichirou clutches the envelope, slides it into the safety of his coat pocket before he climbs out of the vehicle, nodding to Taki who had opened the door for him.

“Good to see you again, _young Lord_ ,” Lola greets Ichirou with a glint of malice in her eyes, nodding to Kengo respectfully. “My condolences,” she offers and opens the door to the stairwell, starting to catch Kengo up on recent events.

Ichirou keeps quiet and poise as is expected of him, mirroring his father as they are lead into what is referred to as ‘the Nest’, a name that he would like to roll his eyes at, but knows better. The halls are dark, dimly lit, walls black and accented with a deep red, very depressing, if Ichirou was asked for his opinion. In his opinion, it is dramatic as well and he figures that is due to how the team was named. The Edgar Allan Ravens, their stadium is named Castle Evermore and the Ravens live inside a ‘Nest’. Again, dramatic and again, in Ichirou’s opinion, crazy. He wonders what his uncle’s state of mind could be like to have intentionally named the team as such, after such a _dramatic_ poet. He has no intention of asking.

An elevator deep in the Nest brings them into what the sign tells him is ‘East Tower’ and Ichirou tries to not allow his anticipation to show, wondering where his brother is. Inside the tower, Ichirou is met with the sight of a comfortable appearing lounge and a few people that turn respectfully to them. He recognizes Nathan and a man who is obviously Lola’s brother and his uncle. There is another man who is obviously a guard tucked away in the corner with arms folded over his chest, who for, Ichirou is not certain. When his and Nathan’s eyes meet he wants to run away from the man when he is leered at with the man’s cold blue eyes. His uncle is rigid, staring at both him and Kengo, gaze hard with burning rage. Lola stands beside her brother, the two of them talking in low voices. 

Kengo places a hand on his shoulder, pushing him toward the wall completely made of one-way windows before turning to the group of people. “No need to rush into business just yet, we are here for three days,” Kengo says, motioning for everyone to sit, following Tetsuji’s line of sight to Ichirou standing by the window.

“Starting him young, I see,” Tetsuji comments, his jaw clenched while staring at Ichirou.

“Father started me at ten,” Kengo reminds him cooly, meeting his brother’s gaze with ease. Tetsuji does not scare him at all, his grudge against Kengo is obvious and all Tetsuji can do about it is glare across the room, knowing if he even lifts a finger he would be either shot or stabbed by any of the other people in this room. The people in this room are sworn to protect the main branch and Nathan would gladly find any reason to attack. The brothers have not seen each other in years and even after their father’s death, Tetsuji still clearly hates those born into the main branch - he still hates Kengo.

“Sit down, Tetsuji,” Kengo presses and takes his own seat in a leather chair, watching the others comply, but his brother hesitating before finally complying as well. Taki hands him two fingers of scotch from the small bar in the corner of the room and sips it before speaking. “How are your Ravens?” He asks, eyes trailing over to Ichirou as Tetsuji fills him in on one of the Moriyama’s greatest assets, going into plans for their starting lineup this season, just weeks into August.

Ichirou half listens to the conversation, in case he is needed, but knows it is unlikely as his father did this intentionally so that he could collect himself to meet Riko. He stares down into the stadium where the Ravens are running drills. Thirty players running themselves ragged up and down the court with two coaches shouting at them. It takes a minute, but his eyes finally land on two smaller figures, a black haired boy in a Ravens jersey that says Moriyama, playing with the other boy in a jersey with the surname Day but neither have a number. They are very small, Riko would be four years old, he remembers, running outside the plexiglass walls with Day, a child-size racquet in hand while doing their best to mimic the college players, with one of three co-coaches keeping an eye on them. He grips the envelope tightly inside his pocket and stares unblinkingly. Riko…

“ _How is he, Riko_?” Kengo asks in Japanese, to avoid the others understanding, they change to their own topic of conversation, he notes that Ichirou turned at hearing his brother’s name.

“ _Do you care_?” Tetsuji spits back in Japanese, hand tightening around the head of his cane.

“ _Tetsuji_ ,” Kengo warns, not wanting to start this around the others, but knows that he should have avoided bringing his second born son up to his brother all together. “ _How is he? You intended to mold him into a star player_ ,” he reminds him.

Tetsuji looks annoyed, Kengo grips his glass of scotch when he thinks of how their father would have punished him for having that look on his face. However, their father would not have even graced Tetsuji with being in his presence. 

“ _He’s four but has taken to being a striker like a natural, as I had expected. Kayleigh’s son plays with him and shows the same promise,_ ” Tetsuji looks to Ichirou, narrowing his eyes briefly, clearly not liking being stared at and observed.

“ _The one whose mother you had killed_ ,” Kengo drawls around his glass. He remembers the day Tetsuji requested the main branch to have the exy founder have an accident when she made Tetsuji her son’s godfather, wanting to have complete control over the boy’s development as a striker. Kengo approved it in hopes of taking a step in the right direction to fix his relationship with his brother. It didn’t work and another child lost their mother far too soon. Kengo has to live with that.

“ _Yes, he is_ _my_ _godson,_ ” Tetsuji nods and maintains eye contact briefly before looking to Nathan and changes the subject. “You have a boy, is that right Nathan?”

“Yes, worthless waste of space as a toddler, the bitch can’t control the little shit,” Nathan spits, face twisting in disgust and annoyance. “If I could sell him off to you, what will you give me?” The Butcher offers a wicked smile face to accompany his wicked suggestion.

"That depends," Tetsuji replies with a smirk, turning to Nathan.

Ichirou watches the scene before him, anger welling up in his chest, glad when his father redirects the conversation to another topic. These people treat children like toys, discussing their value as if they were worth no more to them than the dirt beneath their feet. The letter his mother had written and the things he has heard from being around his father and grandfather feels heavy on his mind, aggravating him beyond belief. His father meets his gaze, knowing that his father too knows just what type of people they are associated with. He is certain of the drug trade the Moriyama family is involved in and wonders if they deal in human trafficking as well - no, no wonder, they certainly do - it is stupid to think otherwise. Ichirou looks out of the window again and follows his baby brother with hard eyes, wanting desperately to snatch him up and run for their lives. That would end poorly, he is certain.

_‘Whatever you have to do, do it.’_ Mother made him promise to look after Riko and he is going to try his best, just as he does with everything else.

 

\---

 

The conversation carried on for quite some time, changing from personal to business shortly when Kengo forcibly directed it that way, until they have covered roles, positions, and expenses, along with upcoming jobs and where they will be completed -only part of what needed to be discussed and not in depth. Nathan, Lola and the man now identified to Ichirou as Romero, take their leave and Tetsuji stands to return to coaching.

“Ichirou wishes to meet Riko,” Kengo tells his brother before he can follow after the others, unresponsive to the sharp, angry look cast his way.

“Fine,” Tetsuji grounds out, looking down at his nephew, his hatred for him radiating off of him in waves. He eyes Kengo again as his brother returns to studying the notes they have from the meeting and back to Ichirou, walking to the elevator without another word. 

Ichirou ignores his uncle’s behaviour, not at all threatened by the man. Tetsuji has size from being both an adult male and an athlete, but Ichirou is young and quick, skilled as a fighter due to following through with his grandfather’s expectations. He can protect himself from this man, his father told him to portray that he is the confident ‘young lord’ he was raised to be and that he is sure of himself, to avoid Tetsuji from being tempted to take advantage of him.

They are quiet beside each other, Ichirou anticipating his meeting with his baby brother, Tetsuji anticipating when the main branch leaves - in three long days from now.

“I would like to use your office to meet my baby brother,” Ichirou tells Tetsuji, side-eyeing the way the man tenses beside him, even though he had kept his tone polite. They stop walking in the middle of a black hall.

“He is still practicing,” Tetsuji answers after a beat, forcing his fingers to relax his grip on his cane. He uses his hatred and anger toward both his father and brother to squash the overwhelming jealousy he feels toward the situation.

“I can wait until they have a break,” Ichirou tells him easily, knowing not even his father would have allowed a break in his concentration during a lesson, let alone his _grandfather_.

“Fine,” Tetsuji bites and sweeps his arm out to a different hall and then leads him to a red hall with several black doors and nameplates. They pass by a lounge and a small kitchen on the way, as well as a doctor’s office and finally Tetsuji’s office.

Ichirou has to fight the urge to roll his eyes at the nameplate on the door, it reads ‘Tetsuji ‘The Master’ Moriyama’. Dramatic - crazy - he reminds himself. God complex and obsessed with power. Father said that he blamed Daiki for how Tetsuji turned out, he is starting to get a sense of _why_.

“How long until their break?” Ichirou asks once the door is opened, seeing the way Tetsuji bows his head in respect, but just the bare minimum as he sweeps his arm out again, holding the door for him. The sheer hatred his uncle feels for him is hardly bothersome to Ichirou, he is here for Riko. He looks around the luxurious office with awards and photos on the walls, several screens on a table with images of the team practicing. A coach’s office.

“Their afternoon practice ends in an hour,” Tetsuji tells him, staring at his nephew looking around the office, walking over to the screens and watching.

“Have him come meet me when he is finished,” Ichirou looks up from the screens and to his uncle, cocking an eyebrow at the stare he is met with - the way his jaw tenses.

“Yes - sir,” Tetsuji finally bites and walks away, the door closing behind him.

Ichirou blinks repeatedly at his exit, wondering how much it must have pained his uncle to call his twelve and a half year old nephew ‘ _sir_ ’. No matter, Ichirou takes a seat in the leather office chair and pulls up close to the monitors. He finds Riko and ‘Day’ on the far left screen, passing an exy ball by bouncing it off of the outer plexiglass wall. They are a little clumsy -tired- and catch maybe one out of every four or five passes, but Ichirou is happy to watch, still happy that Riko is alive. Ichirou sits in the chair, fingers toying with a corner of the envelope and watches for the next hour.

 

\---

 

Ichirou feels nervous again, standing by his uncle’s desk, waiting. Twenty minutes ago he watched Tetsuji speak to one of the assistant coaches, followed by that coach stopping Riko and Day from trotting after the other players and sent them off. Riko and Day ran faster and Ichirou lost them on screen. He is so anxious - more so than his testing to move up to become a black belt - that the knock on the door makes him jump.

“Come in,” he calls out, shaking when the door opens and is greeted by one of the assistant coach’s surprised faces once they see Ichirou, then looks down to see Riko, hair damp from showering, beside him - Day behind Riko. He cannot fight the tiniest of smiles from cracking onto his face, warmth exploding in his chest - it really is him. He’s _alive_!

“I have Riko and his partner Kevin here to see you, young lord,” the assistant coach announces, ushering the two boys in. Ichirou misses his searching expression, focused on Riko. 

“Thank you, you may leave,” Ichirou orders, eyes never leaving his brother, who averts his gaze immediately, as if he fears he is here because he is in trouble, hands gripping the hem of his clean Ravens jersey. 

“Yes, young lord,” the assistant coach bows slightly and closes the door behind him.

“Riko...” Ichirou cannot stop the real smile from spreading across his face and steps over to the boys, smile faltering slightly when Riko tenses. He knows that response too well. An older man that is vaguely similar to Tetsuji, his coach -"uncle"- is looming over and him from being sent to his office. A four-year-old boy would not normally act that way unless he attributes this scenario negatively.

“Yes, sir?” Riko responds as obediently as possible in his small child voice, glancing to meet Ichirou’s eyes respectfully before looking down again, scared.

“He’s a _young lord_ ,” Kevin whispers quickly beside him, glancing up at the man that they were sent to see. Well, who Riko was sent to see, Kevin having to attend with him because they are partners and meant to go everywhere together. 

Ichirou finds himself crouching down to the boys’ level when he sees Riko open his mouth to correct himself. “My name is Ichirou, Riko,” he introduces himself, unable to stop smiling when brown eyes meet his curiously. “I’m your big brother, I am very pleased to meet you.” 

“...Big brother?” Riko asks slowly, visibly relaxing, “I have a _big_ brother?” His four-year-old brain trying to understand, connect the dots.

“Yes and you are my little brother. You may call me ‘brother’,” Ichirou offers softly, “I really wanted to meet you,” he repeats his earlier statement while reaching out to his little brother. His eyes widen when Riko launches at him, wrapping his arms around his neck with a surprisingly tight grip. Ichirou wraps his arms around him in return, hugging him tightly, his baby brother is starved for affection it would seem.

“Riko has a _real_ brother…” Kevin realizes in a quiet voice, quickly looking down when Ichirou looks at him, tears welling up in his eyes. He lost his mother and now Riko too.

“Who is this?” Ichirou asks Riko when he pulls away gently, his face flushed pink with excitement, his brown eyes identical to his own are sparkling. The warmth in Ichirou's chest is nearly overflowing, knowing he made Riko this happy.

“My ‘doptive brother Kev’n,” Riko says excitedly, he has a small hand gripping Ichirou’s sleeve and motioning at his partner with the other. He’s practically vibrating. 

“I guess that makes you my adoptive brother as well, Kevin,” Ichirou tells the other small boy, watching his emerald green eyes light up with surprise, blinking his tears away. He can have two brothers Ichirou tells himself. He heard what his father and uncle had said, that his uncle Tetsuji had Kengo kill Kevin’s mother. He is determined to find out more about this boy who Riko proudly announced as his ‘adoptive brother’. Judging by the way Riko looks up at him with those excited, awestruck brown eyes, he needs Kevin and their mother said to do _whatever_ he had to. He will.

“You mean it?” Kevin asks quietly, following Riko’s example and launching into Ichirou’s arms at the nod he is given.

“I will look after you both,” Ichirou tells him, his arms full of two young boys, two sets of small arms clinging to him. “I promise.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't mind me while I go cry in a corner. -choked sob- So cute!
> 
> Tiny Riko and Tiny Kevin give me life!
> 
> Jesus Christ Tetsuji, kindly go fuck yourself. Let them be happy. Maybe stop being a monster like your father and let Kengo love you?
> 
> Sigh...
> 
> So, the brothers are finally reunited and Ichirou just got a second baby brother, awwww! I am so happy, aren't you? 
> 
> This chapter was early because I felt so bad about all the negative shit that happened in the last four. Negative shit will obviously still happen, but now we can have some happiness. Hope I still have your attention. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Kudos and Comments are greatly appreciated!!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brotherly ♡

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Prepare to smile.

Riko and Kevin cling to Ichirou for what seems to be an eternity to the two four-year-old boys, because they never had someone hold them _like this_ ; as tightly as they did, like they wouldn't be forced to let go until _they_ were ready and they still are not sure this is real. This man, Ichirou, who looks similar to both The Master and Riko, saying he is _their_ big brother, returns the embrace as tight as they do, feeling small and safe in his arms, grateful there has been no motion to pull away from them. When Kevin’s stomach growls - echoed by Riko’s - he does pull away with a soft laugh, a hand resting on either of their shoulders where their neck meets. There is only kindness in Ichirou's face.

“I believe it is your lunch time, yes?” Ichirou asks them, gently squeezing their shoulders and still smiling.

“Yes, brother,” Riko replies with his face flushed pink, sounding even more excited as he tries out the word. Brother, he has a _big_ _brother_. His eyes follow Ichirou intently as he stands up, so many questions rushing through his head, but too in awe to ask any of them. “We’re s’posto go to lunch with the team now,” Riko beams, practically vibrating as a hand glides softly through his damp hair. With his excitement, his speech slips up from the two teeth he lost during practice, getting checked so hard that the already loose teeth came out easily.

“We should get you two something to eat then,” Ichirou tells them, looking from Riko to Kevin, “will you be able to lead the way?” He smiles at the way Kevin also seems to enjoy his hair being petted, he knows he himself would.

“Yes, brother!” Kevin echoes Riko, gone are the tears that had been in his eyes, fearing Riko would be taken away from him like his mother had been, but no, instead, Ichirou had said that he would be his brother _too_. Kevin is going to cling on to this as hard as he can with both of his little hands. “I know the way!” He glances at Riko, seeing he has a hand gripping their brother’s dress pant leg, just watching Ichirou.

“Come on then,” Ichirou nods, nudging the boys so that they turn back to the door, grabbing the doorknob and opening it for the small boys. Once they are in the red hallway, the black door to Tetsuji’s office closed, he ushers the boys by placing a hand at the middle of either of their backs. Just the way mama and Brice had when he was a child.

Ichirou smooths his expression out now that they are in the open, a tiny smile still at the corner of his mouth and in his eyes. He maintains proper Moriyama etiquette, as well as focusing on their surroundings but also checking on the boys as they walk. Both of them are quiet, but vibrating excitedly while smiling to themselves. Riko’s cheeks are still flushed, and it is harder to tell with Kevin’s deeper skin tone, but Ichirou would bet that Kevin is flushed happily as well.  
  
Ichirou can tell they are getting close to a cafeteria, turning from the red hall into a black one and hears the hum of the team talking. Kevin piping up as they begin to pass different doors to explain what they are, Riko alternating with him as they talk. Apparently on the right side of this hall are rooms for studying or storage.  
  
“That is the kitchen,” Kevin points to a door on the left side of the hall.

“The caf’te’ia is after it,” Riko jumps in after once they pass the kitchen door, pointing at a large open archway where the chatter is coming from. “The coaches have their own down there,” he points further down at another closed, red door.  
  
Ichirou hums in acknowledgment, “I see, thank you, little brothers.” The smile at the corner of his mouth twitching more when the boys beam from his thanks.  
  
The three of them enter the cafeteria through the archway to see all thirty of the Ravens in identical tracksuits seated among the five, eight-top roundtables. There are three women, the other twenty-seven are men, all with damp hair from their post-practice showers with identical meals in front of them. The table closest to them glances up, doing a double take at the sight of Ichirou and conversation falls silent while their eyes roam their eyes over Ichirou, Kevin, and Riko. The other four tables seem to sense the disturbance as well, eyes finding the trio walking over to the pickup area for their meals.

Ichirou immediately notices how tense Kevin and Riko get from the silence and staring. When the inevitable whispering starts (‘is that who I think it is?’s among other common questions) the boys shrink a bit closer to Ichirou and he pauses their forward motion to turn his cold, Moriyama stare over to the team with a wave of protective instinct. His shoulders are rigid but from ferocity instead of discomfort. It takes two breaths for the team to quiet down, their eyes averting table by table and some of the Ravens attempt to pick up their previous conversations. Ichirou only looks away when satisfied and urges the boys along to receive their meals.

The nutritionist/dietician behind the counter appears surprised to come face to face with Ichirou, smiling while stuttering out a formal greeting and seemingly tripping over himself.  
  
“Welcome, young lord, can I get you anything?”  
  
“Riko and Kevin are here for lunch,” Ichirou tells him, staring at him until the man looks down at his brothers and smiles at them.  
  
“Yes sir, ah, young lord,” the man grins and prepares two trays with specific measurements from a guide on a paper with the names of every Raven on the team.

The meals prepared consists of; a steamed protein, steamed vegetable, fresh fruit and steamed rice and low-fat milk and juice- Ichirou is hardly surprised that the Moriyama family would hire similar nutritionists for both branches. Both Riko and Kevin take their trays without complaint, holding the trays as carefully as possible in their small hands and look to Ichirou, as does the nutritionist.

“Did you want a serving, young lord?” He suddenly looks nervous.  
  
“Yes, thank you,” Ichirou nods, wondering what people think that the main branch does in order to stay healthy and fit. As an athlete, he was expected to eat specific meals - like this one - in order to maintain his weight and grow properly. He too takes his offered meal without complaint and looks expectantly to his brothers. “Go on, lead the way.”  
  
A smile from both of the boys is returned with an approving nod before he is following them to a table with four Ravens. Ichirou watches, internally amused as they stretch to carefully place their trays on the table and then climb up, sitting on their knees. Ichirou ends up sitting beside Riko, an empty chair beside him and ignores the Ravens silently staring at him in favor of watching Kevin and Riko trade portions of their meals as if they had done it hundreds of times. Kevin trades half of his strawberries and receives half of Riko’s steamed broccoli in return, as well as Kevin’s orange juice for Riko’s cranberry. Their manners are quite amazing for two four-year-olds while they handle their plastic utensils as carefully as can be. He can’t help but crack half a smile as Riko struggles to not make a face at the taste of what appears to be a boneless, skinless and barely seasoned chicken breast, cut into strips by the people who prepared it. Kevin does not seem nearly as put off by the relatively bland food though.  
  
Ichirou takes a bite when Riko looks at his untouched plate and then him, making Riko grin and return to eating quietly. Finally, Ichirou looks across the table to the four Ravens staring at him and blinks, popping a piece of broccoli in his mouth - he swears it is seasoned the exact same way their cook does at home.  
  
“Good afternoon,” he says after swallowing his properly chewed food, cracking open the seal on his bottle of cranberry juice, gross -way too tart- he wonders if Riko hates it the most as well. Across from him is the team captain bearing the number one on his team jacket with the other three being numbered two, three and four. Two’s says that he is vice-captain. When he spoke, all of them jolt ever so slightly and Ichirou is trying to decide if he should feel smug that they are afraid of him because he is the ‘young lord’ or annoyed. Given that he never had any friends his age growing up, only had people like Brice or Taki (if you could even call them friends), he chooses the latter.  
  
“Ah- good afternoon - young lord,” captain forces out, offering that PR smile that Kengo taught Ichirou how to smile. “I’m sorry for the loss of your grandfather,” when Ichirou nods in acceptance he continues. “Ah, my name is To- Anthony, I am the team’s starting offensive dealer and captain, fifth year at E.A.U.” Anthony gestures at the other three men at the table, two staring bug-eyed at him. “These are Craig starting backliner and vice-captain fourth year, Sean our starting goalie fifth year and Don our other starting backliner, fourth year.”

“I am Ichirou,” he introduces out of politeness. “Pleasure to meet you all,” Ichirou says politely and then blinks. “Fifth year? I was certain most students graduate in four years,” he admits, earning a couple more stares and the table beside them falling quiet. Kevin and Riko look at him with wide eyes, intrigued that their brother is talking.

“You are correct!” Don jumps in courageously when Anthony does not speak up, probably in shock. “Exy players are contracted for five years so that they can focus on both exy and their studies. Instead of taking six or seven classes a semester, we take the minimum four each semester - or twelve credits,” Don’s PR smile is better than Anthony’s.

“I must confess, I know next to nothing about exy, are your schedules that busy to require such a thing?” Ichirou only looks away from the Ravens across from him when he hears twin gasps from the boys beside him.

“You don’t know ‘bout EXY!?” Kevin squawks, earning himself several shocked stares from the men (is their response really too much?), while Riko’s eyes widen with what seems to be horror.

Ichirou breathes out a laugh and sets his fork down. “No, but I have a feeling you two will be enlightening me,” Ichirou says, eyes glittering as his brothers’ faces light up with excitement and determination. As he guessed, Riko and Kevin begin explaining the rules, clearly, they have had it ingrained into them from as early as they could retain memories.

They tell him of the positions and how many players can be on the court at a time. How long the games are and about penalties and all the rules. By the time the lunch hour is over, Ichirou knows more about this incredibly violent sport his uncle helped to invent, than he really cared for, but says nothing as it makes Riko and Kevin happy to tell him about it. He is put off slightly about the hefty schedule of two four and a half-year-old boys are following. It is about the same as his own was, only his was not solely focusing on athleticism or a singular activity. When he looks to the Ravens across from him for confirmation, he is not sure what to think.

The entire team was openly staring at their table, they watched all of this happen as if it were some scene from a movie. The Ravens’ top four players seemed to have grown a bit more comfortable around Ichirou and he is beyond thankful for that, except for the rest of the team who continue to look at him nervously. Ichirou was becoming tempted to give them a reason to be so nervous when an assistant coach walks by, ordering the team to get a move on and get to the gym for a workout. Riko and Kevin are forced to scarf the rest of their meals when that happens, almost finished when a middle-aged, half Japanese-half American woman with a cool smile approaches the table, staring at Ichirou and then the boys and back to Ichirou.

“It is a pleasant surprise to see you here, young lord. My name is Annabeth, I am Kevin and Riko’s tutor,” Annabeth holds out her hand to Ichirou, that he takes and is impressed with her strong grip.

“Pleasure to meet you,” he nods and stands, seeing his brothers scramble to their feet out the corner of his eye. “I suppose they have a lesson right now?”

Annabeth nods, smiling. “Yes, young lord, they have their lessons while the rest of the team is in the weight room. They are too young to fully follow the Ravens’ entire normal routine.”

“Yet they manage to keep the hectic schedule they have told me about?” Ichirou asks, needing to satisfy his curiosity.

Annabeth seems startled by that but nods again. “Yes, the Master is shaping them into star players, so he is starting them as young as possible.”

Ichirou wants to question his uncle about why he thinks it is a good idea to put a couple of four-year-olds in such conditions, greatly reminded of his grandfather’s idea of ‘proper child rearing’. Instead, he will have to settle for manipulating things from the outside, by being here as much as possible, he decides. He’ll have to talk to his father about it, he made a promise to his mother to look after Riko and him being in New York City is not going to make that easy.

“I see, would it be alright if I accompany them for their lesson today?”

While Annabeth looks surprised at the question, Kevin and Riko make small, excited sounds at the idea. Ichirou looks down at his brothers to find them having got up to grab onto his hands, making it impossible for him to stop the smile that spreads across his face. He doesn’t miss the soft look on Annabeth’s face while she watches them. That look makes him feel proud.

“Certainly, I hope you are prepared for a rousing lesson in grade school studies,” Annabeth announces and the boys pull excitedly on Ichirou’s hands, thanking their tutor.

“Sounds thrilling,” Ichirou jests and they take off to a library of sorts in a different part of the Nest- Ichirou still trying to get over how dramatic it sounded to call it that, but does anyway.

Annabeth gives the boys worksheets, the same way Brice had always done for him and sits between his brothers at the table and helps when he can. He learns that Riko despises maths, but likes English, that Kevin is neutral about all of the subjects, but becomes very intrigued by the history book that they are taught to read from. As focused as they are, Kevin and Riko keep getting distracted by Ichirou anytime he speaks up, so he ends up hijacking the lesson, much to the boys’ delight and Annabeth’s amusement.

Ichirou can tell the boys are getting restless, trying to not squirm an hour and a half into their lesson, causing him to stack their hiragana worksheets filled with the horrible scrawl that four-year-old boys call ‘handwriting’. “I think that is enough for today,” he tells them, unable to stop from chuckling at the way the boys slump in their seats while wearing extremely relieved expressions on their still awestruck faces.

“They are not usually so... receptive during lessons. Quite impressive, really, young lord,” Annabeth comments, collecting the worksheets and books that they worked from, smiling. “I’m only allotted an hour with them - not that it matters as the Master only allows one hour of schooling per day for them.” Annabeth presses her mouth into a thin line for a moment, brow pinched before her expression smoothes out and she smiles at Ichirou. “Can I get you anything, young lord?”

Ichirou stares at the tutor for a moment, his impassive Moriyama facade easily in place -as it should be- for the first time since he set eyes on his brothers. This woman knows something, or at the very least has insight on the inner workings of this… ‘Nest’ and Ichirou intends to exploit that, to protect his brothers.

“Yes, Miss Annabeth, you can,” Ichirou tilts his head very slightly, feeling his brothers’ eyes locked on him as are their tutor’s. “I would like to see your progress notes on Kevin and Riko, starting from the day you were hired. Please include any observations you have made about Evermore, the Nest and the people who reside within since then as well.”

When he sees Annabeth’s shoulders tense at his sudden shift from ‘pleasant older brother’ to ‘young lord Ichirou’ he debates exploiting _that_. Does he want people to fear him? Or does he want people to respect him enough to willingly offer their loyalty and services?

What it boils down to is - Benevolence or Malevolence?

Be kind or be cruel?

Become like his grandfather or-

“I will offer my absolute discretion if you do the same, Miss Annabeth. My brothers are my number one priority and I wish to do anything and everything to ensure the best upbringing that I am capable of.” Ichirou allows the corner of his lips to curve into a smile, eyes softening -especially when he hears Kevin and Riko’s soft sounds of awe- and continues speaking. “Are we in agreement that Kevin’s and Riko’s wellbeing is what is most important?”

Annabeth’s posture visibly relaxes and she eyes Ichirou carefully while retrieving her messenger bag that she carries with her and pulls out a simple black, hardcover notebook. Her eyes dart between the notebook that she clutches, knuckles white in her hands and glances between her two students and then to Ichirou, swallowing hard. “I became a teacher because I love children and want what is best for them. Your brothers are no different to me. I…” Annabeth looks at the notebook and bows her head as she holds it out to Ichirou with both hands. “This is my only copy - I make notes after every lesson for each of my students. I need them back, please look after it while you have it? Young lord?”

Ichirou stares at the woman across from him - more than likely ten years older than his father- and clearly weary of anyone who is named _Moriyama_ , especially in a position of power. Yet she formally presents this precious notebook of hers to him, merely asking he take care of it. _Interesting_ , Ichirou thinks and carefully receives the notebook in both of his hands, showing his respect with a slight nod of his head.

“I’ll look after your notes, Miss Annabeth, thank you.” Ichirou nods when Annabeth bites her lip, clearly wishing to say something. “Yes?”

“Please understand that what I have written, is merely my observations during the hour that I am with them… as well as some speculation - not my opinion, young lord.”

Ichirou grips the notebook hard in his hands, knuckle white as Annabeth had when he realizes what she is trying to say, especially when her eyes dart around the room and pause at the closed door for a second longer. Struggling to keep calm, Ichirou inhales very slowly through his nose and then nods. “I understand, Miss Annabeth. I will keep that in mind during my review and I thank you for your trust in me.” This seems to throw the tutor through yet another loop. No matter; he nods and stands up.

After seeing Annabeth’s relieved expression, he looks down at his brothers, softening his own expression and smiles at them. “I believe you have more training now?”

Kevin and Riko quickly jump up and begin going on about their instructors for their weight training -he wants to strangle Tetsuji- and guides them into the hall to bring them there while they talk to him. The notebook is tucked protectively under his arm and a backward glance on the way out tells him that Annabeth is hopeful -terrified, but hopeful.

~

It takes five minutes for Ichirou to convince his little brothers to let go of his hands in a soft tone, his brothers appearing far too concerned about being fifteen minutes late to their lesson. ‘I promise that I'll still be here after your lesson’, he had told them, making their little shoulders ease up. What has them so worried?

Ichirou fingers the notebook Annabeth lent to him, a bit more paranoid than before and chooses to skim through it in private. There is a personal trainer waiting for Riko and Kevin, who quickly averts his eyes when Ichirou meets his gaze, though continues to appear tough with his muscular arms folded over his broad chest and standing maybe over six feet tall. Hm…

“You're late,” the personal trainer scolds the boys, tone clipped.

“Our lesson ran late, sir,” Kevin tells him carefully, looking up at the man from beside a nodding Riko.

“Three laps around the weight room, go!” He commands, back going rigid when Ichirou walks toward him once the boys have yelled ‘yes, sir!’ and run off. “Young lord,” he greets. “My name is Reese Ellis, I'm the youth weight trainer employed by the Master, Tetsuji. Good to meet you, sir- young lord." Reese stares back at this… _preteen,_ before him, knowing he's expected to show him the utmost respect, despite his age. Just because he’s from the Moriyama primary branch. What _bullshit_.

Even with the evident youthfulness in his face and his short stature, Ichirou has a very intimidating presence and expression - or lack of expression.

Ichirou hums after a few moments of looking Reese over, pausing at some of his tattoos that even cover his fingers and disappear beneath the sleeves of his Ravens shirt- one is a gang tattoo and three more repaired or covered prison tattoos or scars. Where the hell did Tetsuji find this man? An actual prison? “Good to meet you as well,” he says evenly, offering a hand and grins internally when his strong grip makes Reese's posture tense even more. “Tell me about my brothers’ training,” he orders coolly.

Reese is slightly startled- is this boy really twelve? Either way, he's a Moriyama - _must tread carefully_. “Oh, of course-" he looks over to the area where he works with Riko and Kevin and then the boys themselves. Normally, if they were late he'd… Reese finds Ichirou studying him, a dangerous glint in his eye. Who is this kid? “So, I have them training five days a week, focusing on something different each day, with spaced out days for rest. They work with the rest of the team for cardio, but given their ages, their time scheduled for exercising is less. The older boys started about an hour ago with a coach.”

Reese tries to not make his uncertainty too obvious when Ichirou continues to stare blankly at him and walks over to the side office and grabs the files labeled _Riko and Kevin_ . When he heads back out, he finds the young lord, leaned down and looking down at the boys with a very gentle expression on his face as he speaks to them, who sport the most awestruck expressions on their reddened faces. He's never seen such a look from them, as if their brother is _the_ most incredible person in the world. When they are around most everyone else, they look on in only ones of fear. He never did expect the young lord to possess such a kind- never mind. It's gone the second he looks up at Reese.

“This is their progress notes and schedule, young lord,” Reese presents the files in his right hand and swallows at the way Ichirou stares at them for a moment and then takes them in both hands. Why does he feel like he did something wrong…

Ichirou flicks open Kevin's and skims the schedule - he immediately has flashbacks to his childhood- before flicking his eyes to his brothers. “I believe you're working on your core today, why don't you get to it? I'll be nearby,” Ichirou promise with gentle eyes and his soft voice, he wonders if it'll ever start to change.

“Yes, brother!” both Riko and Kevin reply excitedly with huge smiles before they dart away.

Ichirou tilts his head at Reese, as if to say ‘well?’ and blinks. It's interesting to have a man twice his size - most likely an ex convict- shift nervously around him. Funny, almost… “I'm not keeping you from doing your job, am I?” When Reese jolts and scurries away with a ‘no, young lord’, with a careful eye, Ichirou watches him begin to help his brothers, feeling uncertain still.

Deciding against leaving the room, Ichirou leans against a nearby wall just out of his brothers’ sight and reads the files. On the surface, he immediately realizes there is a lot of… flourish; ‘impressed with skill’ or ‘predicted to move forward quickly’, and doesn't like it.

Why not just say; ‘the four year olds I have exercising for at least ten hours a day aren't breaking down from exhaustion and improper treatment’?

Ichirou finishes reading and snaps the file closed and opened up the notes from Annabeth.

The notes vary from; ‘Engaged, alert and interested’ to ‘timid, exhausted and easy to upset’. That goes back and forth, starting from when they are very little -two, he thinks- and start off by teaching them to be bilingual in both Japanese and English. To when they about three and a half and starting simple education in all subjects where… Ichirou frowns, ‘timid’ becomes ‘wary’, ‘exhausted’ to ‘barely functioning’ and ‘easy to upset’ to ‘fearful to show emotion’.

Ichirou closes the notes to read later, stomach churning. He'll throw up if he continues reading now. His eyes find his brothers again, frown threatening to break his perfected Moriyama mask at the sight of two tired little boys being told to keep going, despite their shaking.

When a weight - not possible for any normal child to lift- slips from Riko's fingers, he flinches and apologises fall from his lips from clear reflex. He nods at Reese vigorously when snapped at to not be clumsy and to get back to work.

Ichirou nearly lunges forward, feeling beyond protective of his brothers when both of them are shoved, made to stumble, by Reese. He manages to stop short, somehow knowing that reacting now would be messy and only serve to scare Riko and Kevin. So he waits, watching, notes tucked under his arm and hand in his pocket, finding his envelope to clutch for comfort. He's amazed at his own self control when he sees the malicious expression being poorly pushed down on Reese's face.

Ichirou opens his phone to message Taki, his own ‘handler’ and tells him ‘Pull everything on the man Reese Ellis, a youth weight trainer employed by Tetsuji, please’. After its sent, he almost immediately gets back ‘of course, young lord.’ in return.

~

Ichirou side eyes Reese as he ushers his brothers out of the room, seeing the vaguely psychotic gleam in his eyes, but ‘masked’ by a polite smile and a ‘thanks for coming, young lord’. He only nods at him, wondering; does this man get off on traumatizing young kids? Ichirou forces back a shudder at the thought alone.

“What do you have next?” Ichirou asks them as they walk into the hall, watching as they tremble with each step.

“‘Nother shower then break, brother,” Kevin tells him, his voice tired and his smile not as bright. Same with Riko.

“We can show you our room brother,” Riko manages.

Ichirou's sad smile is missed by them and then smoothed out when he hears the team from the locker room that they end up stopping by. When he sees Kevin reach out for the handle, he realizes that they must shower around a bunch of collegiate boys who -by the sound of it- are a bunch of perverted idiots making dick jokes.

Not happening.

“Do you have your own shower- or-” Ichirou can't help but think of his mother giving him soothing baths and having his hair washed. “Or a bath?”

Riko nods, looking at Ichirou curiously. “Our room has one.”

~

With Annabeth’s notes safely tucked aside, Ichirou is sitting on the edge of the tub as he fills it with warm water, plain Epsom salts that he pulled out from the back of their small storage closet and something that smells like coconut body wash. He has his coat set aside and the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up, memories of mama doing the same thing as checks the temperature of the water, float close to surface.

“Alright, it's about ready,” he tells his brothers, who were told to get undressed while he did this and smiles genuinely at the boys.

He keeps his face the same, by some miracle, at the sight of two shaky and bruised boys. Some of the bruises are yellowing from age on their naked bodies and there are a couple new ones from practice, he can tell, once again hating that stupid sport they play. Too goddamn violent for children, jesus.

Idly, he wonders, if this is normal for him to worry about. If he'll ever be normal in general - will Riko or Kevin? What is normal? What is normal for a Moriyama even? Is that even possible?

“Ready?” Ichirou keeps his voice and expression soft and lifts Kevin in first when he raises his arms - almost like he knew to do it- and sits him in the water, finishing with a stroke to his hair. “Riko?” he asks softly again and smiles when his eyes widen, arms grabbing for him and gives him a quick squeeze before setting him in with Kevin. They both relax into the water and Ichirou just sits on the floor and leans against the tub with his arms folded on the edge, chin on rested on them.

Today he not only met his baby brother Riko -presumed to be dead about a week ago- but also claimed Kevin as his brother. The weight from failure -an extremely heavy weight indeed- was lifted from his shoulders, seeing Riko in the flesh. This is possibly the most relaxed he has ever been, smiling more when they play with the yet to dissolve salts and look to him curiously. He wishes they had toys - what do normal kids play with? - or maybe something else for them, but they appear happy with this bath and him close by.

“These salts take time to dissolve - but don't eat them, they are to help your body relax. Help to sooth your muscles,” Ichirou educates them.

“Oh …,” they hum together.

Enjoying the awed looks on their faces he can't help but reach out to pet Riko's head, happy he leans into it. Kevin reaches out with a wet hand to touch his face, Riko seeing his smile makes him reach out as well and just-

“Let's get you two clean,” he announces squeezing their hands, both gripping tightly in response before letting him go. The love and adoration on their faces is overwhelming and he is so unfamiliar with the crashing emotions in his chest -tears welling up- that he turns quickly to compose himself while gathering shampoo and conditioner.

“What's wrong, brother?” Riko asks, hoping to not have upset him.

“Nothing at all, I'm just beyond _happy_ to have you b- both,” he stops himself from saying ‘back’, lest that make them think he abandoned them and then diligently returns to their side to bathe them. “I've been wanting to meet my little brother for forever and now I have two, how much better could that have worked out?”

Somehow they look even more amazed at his words.

“Come on, let's get your hair wet,” Ichirou manages to get out, asking them to talk about something they like - mistake, since it's fucking exy- and resumes their bath. They don't take too long to get scrubbed clean, neither struggling because either it's their brother doing this or are just ‘behaved’. He has a feeling it's the mainly former…

Soon enough they are in clean tracksuits and showing Ichirou everything in their room - Ichirou making a note to get them stuff to brighten it up from the disgusting amount of black and red- and nods along to everything they say. Until he realizes that are still exhausted and finds himself picking them both up and holding them to his chest.

“How about we rest? There will be plenty of other times to show me everything.” Ichirou almost expects arguing, but the two rather heavy child athletes simply wrap their limbs around him and snuggle close with a couple murmured agreements. Unable to even consider letting go, Ichirou sits on one of the too tall beds and sits against the headboard, where his brothers curl impossibly closer, getting comfortable while clinging tight.

“Sleep well, I will wake you for dinner,” he promises, but smiles when seeing them both asleep already, faces half pressed into his chest, breath evening out. His favorite part is seeing their hands loosely clasped together across his own abdomen and is glad that they at least had each other when he wasn't here. They weren't alone as he was.

 _I'm finally able to look after him, mama. I'll look after them both_ , Ichirou promises mentally and just watches them sleep for the next hour. He can start working on a plan later, this is more important.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was so late! I was moving and also wanted to finish Fox Hunt first and then I was debating about a couple things -huffs- but I did it! Ichi ;_; you're an angel. A twelve year old, five foot tall, loving but intimidating and scary angel. What the love of an older brother can achieve. ^_^
> 
> I love Annabeth ♡ 
> 
> Riko, Kevin; life is going to get SO much better for you. 
> 
> Thanks Fuzzballsheltiepants for the beta! ^_^
> 
> I'll do my best to get chapter 7 out soooooooon! ♡♡♡
> 
> Love you guys! 
> 
> Kudos and comments appreciated and loved! I wanna hear from you guys. Remember, you can message me at NikoTheSpoonKlepto on tumblr!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For f*cks sake....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, fuzzballsheltiepants for betaing!
> 
> I'm... uh... just read.

“Big brother, you’re really strong,” Riko exclaims from where he is sitting on Ichirou’s back beside Kevin, while their brother cranks out push-ups. He didn’t feel the unnecessary desire to use a gym around a bunch of college-level jocks and psychotic criminals pretending to be fitness instructors. So, instead, Ichirou uses what he was born with - and his brothers as weights.

“Been doing exercises like this twice as long as you have been alive baby brother,” Ichirou can’t help but brag, unable to stop smiling at the way anything he says amazes his brothers. He can’t lie, the attention is nice and to be appreciated for his hard work for once. Something he didn’t expect out of reuniting with his brother, but he is going to enjoy it.

“How long is that?” Riko asks, fingers curled into Ichirou’s sleep shirt to hang on, looking at Kevin with blank eyes. He hates math.

“Uh…” Kevin stares back and then looks at his fingers, memory fuzzy. “How old are we?”

Ichirou freezes mid push-up, smile cracking. “Four years and six months, give or take,” he tells them softly, to which they make small noises of understanding. “Off,” he orders just as gently and when they do, he sits cross-legged on the floor, looking between his brothers. God, Tetsuji fucked them up.

“Do you know when your birthdays are?” He looks at Kevin, who has this scrunched up expression as if he used to know but forgot. Riko just stares blankly at their brother.

“I dunno,” Riko shrugs. “Wassa birthday?”

Ichirou is going to bash Tetsuji’s face in. Maybe not, but he’ll fix this mess. Somehow.

“A birthday is to mark the day you were born. Riko, you were born March thirty-first, I met-” Ichirou chokes off his sentence before he can think about the very short time he spent with his brother, which happened to be the last time he saw their mother. Instead he turns to Kevin. “Kevin, you were born February twenty-second.” He watches as they try very hard to remember, so he smiles and reaches out to them and is latched onto immediately.

With the two of them curled up in his lap, their impressively strong hands holding on to him, Ichirou feel as if he is in the place he’s been meant to be in for a long time. “You two focus on growing up, I’ll help you in any way I can, like by helping you remember your birthdays.”

“Promise?”

Ichirou wraps them both up in his sweaty arms, hugging tight. “I Promise. Now, I need a shower and then the three of us can get breakfast before your morning practice. Alright?”

“Alright!”

 

\---

 

_Diagnosed with: Explosive Anger, Manic Episodes_

_Convicted charges include: five counts of aggravated assault on a minor, two counts of sexual assault, one count of statutory rape, four-_

Ichirou skips over the charges to the notes. Finding reports from some of the Ravens themselves complaining about Reese Ellis ‘watching them while changing, making suggestive comments and touching them inappropriately’, but was never formally charged since being employed by Tetsuji. Been known to be excessively rough with those that he works with. Fired from several training centers for aggressive or violent behavior.

Ichirou stares at the file he holds in his hands and then back up at Taki, who had looked grim as he presented the information he had found for the young lord. Taki stares back, waiting for Ichirou to do something. Fury floods Ichirou’s veins quickly, but he reins it in and closes the file as he hands it back to him and looks across the lounge of the East Tower to where his father is talking with Nathan about something or other and looks around to find Lola and Romero talking in a corner. Tetsuji isn’t here, instead down on the court, watching his Ravens play. Riko and Kevin are practicing on the outside of the plexiglass court.

“I want him up here, _now_ ,” is all that leaves Ichirou's lips, drawing the attention of his father and Nathan, then Lola and Romero as Taki mutters a quick ‘yes young lord’, before leaving to do as told. “Nathan, I will be in need of your services shortly.”

Kengo’s expression smooths out into nothing, not liking the vicious look in his son’s face but he knows he can’t stop him. Nathan’s Butcher smile is echoed by Lola’s own bloodthirsty one. Romero simply barks out a hysterical laugh but stops when Ichirou narrows his eyes on him, yet he still smirks.

 

~

 

Reese stumbles into the lounge of the East Tower after some Moriyama muscle men shoves him inside and essentially pisses himself at the sight of all these powerful and dangerous people staring at him. The fucking Butcher of Baltimore is leaning against the far wall, grinning as he admires a gleaming butcher knife, an ax rested beside him. But the one who approaches him is Ichirou, dressed down from the suit and coat he met him in, instead wearing in a t-shirt and loosely fitted sweatpants -feet bare- that same blank expression is on his face, yet he has a frightening look in his eye.

“Young lord,” Reese chokes out, managing a fake smile. “What can I do for you?”

Ichirou tilts his head, before he shoves Reese hard against his chest, making him stumble backward.

“What the fuck man!?” Reese snaps, glaring at Ichirou, his anger immediately surfacing. “I did nothing to you!” He glances at Taki who shoves him back away from the elevator. “Get the fuck off of me!”

“Your victims didn’t do anything wrong either,” Ichirou baits.

“Fuckin’ serious!?” Reese snarls as he steps forward, the words coming out of his mouth without thinking. “What makes you think you can push me around you fuckin’ child?” He growls when shoved back again and then lunges at Ichirou, missing the pissed look on his face too late.

With a couple quick, skilled moves, Ichirou lands several critical blows and sends the man twice his size flying, hitting the ground hard. Reese is stunned, wheezing and groaning in pain from where he lays on the hard marble floor.

“You fucker, I haven’t done anything wrong!” Reese wheezes out as he tries to push himself up, “Let me go!” he shrieks scream when a knife is stabbed straight through his hand and twisted. “Stop! Please stop! I haven’t done anything wrong!” Ichirou’s glare is terrifying as he steps on his chest, crouching down to get in his face, easily batting away the hand reaching toward him.

“You’re not leaving this room alive,” Ichirou whispers to him, glad to see how terrified Reese looks at that. “Romero, Nathan,” he calls, not recognizing his own voice and registers the Butcher walking over and happily sitting on top of Reese’s legs to hold him down, Romero slamming his boot onto Reese’s free hand and makes some of the bones crack.

“I don’t like listening to you talk,” Ichirou announces as he shifts on top of the trembling, shaking piece of shit beneath him, begging unintelligibly for his life.

“No no no! Please don’t hurt me! I’ve done nothing wrong!” Reese begins begging, thrashing and crying out as his jaw is grabbed and the knife stabbed through his hand is ripped out, then pressed into his mouth. His injured hand weakly grabs at Ichirou’s side until it’s wrenched away by the Butcher. Reese’s screams are gurgled by the blood the begins flooding from his tongue being cut out of his mouth.

“That’s better…” Ichirou drops the bloody muscle onto the floor and trails the knife over Reese’s cheek and down to his neck, making a nick in the carotid artery and watches blood begin to pool. He stares at the blood flowing for a minute, feeling a bit sick but pushes it down by remembering the file, what Reese has done to his brothers.

Remembering the terrified way his brothers behaved when they were late, earlier makes rage surge through him and he stabs the knife into Reese’s shoulder, twisting until Reese cries out unintelligibly beneath him.

“If you really want him to suffer, young lord,” Lola purrs as the first one to speak since this started, stepping up to just outside the slowly pooling blood. “Remember what I said about erogenous zones?” She lifts a brow, red lips curling.

Lola’s words seem to trigger something inside Ichirou, bringing him back to who he is trying to be, but hides that from everyone around him.

“I want him dead,” Ichirou tells her, voice dead and uses his now dull knife to slit Reese’s throat in one smooth motion and drops it into the cooling pool of blood and stands fluidly. Everyone is staring at him, but he keeps his shoulders squared and expression cool, even though he thinks he is going to be sick.

“Thank you for your assistance, Nathan, Romero, please deal with him.” With that he steps around the bloody mess and ignores the dejected sigh of Nathan and the sound of his ax swinging through the air. He steps through the entrance of the bathroom door his father was holding open, he hears the ax meet flesh and bone as the door closes and he is collapsing to his knees in the center of the soundproof bathroom.

Kengo reaches down to touch his son’s shoulder. “Ichirou-"

“If you tell me it gets easier, I’m going to be sick on this floor,” Ichirou chokes, tears forming in his eyes, a bloody hand coming up to his mouth, stopping too late and smearing blood all over his face.

“I know, but you need to shower, Ichirou,” Kengo orders him gently. When Ichirou doesn’t move, he cards his fingers through his hair a few times. His heart clenches as he hears stifled sobs, seeing his shoulders shake. “I hired Nathan because I can’t stomach this either-”

“You’re a coward!” Ichirou snaps and then flinches violently when his father stills. “I’m-”

“You’re right,” he whispers, looking away but lightly grips Ichirou’s hair to keep him still. “You’re far braver than I’ll ever be, but not wanting to torture a man does not make us cowards. I’m a coward because I let fear rule my life and my father forced me to torture and kill. The second I didn’t have to, I just hired someone else to do it. You’re brave because you could see that it was wrong and put an end to it.”

“What about Riko and Kevin, w-wh-” Ichirou covers his mouth with his bloody hand again, sobbing into it. Hot tears spill down his face and hit the floor, his father continuing to pet his hair and soothe him somehow.

“They would rather have a brother who is there for them, protecting them - you don’t have to torture anyone to do that,” Kengo promises, wishing desperately he’d known all this as a child before he tortured and killed countless men at his father’s order. Before he lost everything Ichirou can still have. “You’ll have to do things you don’t want to do, but you’re not a coward and you’re not weak. You are the strongest Moriyama lord that will come out of this family because you’re my son and learning from all of our mistakes, Ichirou.”

Ichirou’s sobs slowly let up and he turns to look up at his father, feeling his words to his core, hot tears still dripping from his brown eyes. The sincerity in his voice had been clear, but the love and genuine affection in his face are what solidifies that his father means what he’s saying. That he believes everything he is telling Ichirou.

He’s not going to be the malevolent lord his grandfather was and he’s not going to be the coward his father is. He is going to change _everything_.

 

\---

 

“What the hell is this?” Tetsuji stares at the bloody mess being cleaned by Romero and Lola Malcome, Nathan Wesninski is cleaning his weapons at a table. Ichirou is sitting beside Kengo, cleaning his nails while wearing a blank expression and dressed down.

“I dealt with the sick fuck you employed,” Ichirou announces in a dead voice.

“What on Earth!? He-” Tetsuji grips his cane and takes a step toward Ichirou, only for Nathan, Lola, Romero, Taki and Yuudai to move toward him with weapons drawn, making Tetsuji realize he has his cane raised, ready to attack. “You’ve killed my employee!”

“I killed an abusive piece of shit,” Ichirou informs him, standing up, dropping the tool in his hand on the coffee table. “Would you like to be next?”

“Ichirou…” Kengo calls softly.

“I’m the coach of the greatest team in the world for the world's greatest sport! How-”

“You abuse my brothers,” Ichirou cuts Tetsuji off, keeping his expression even. “I should slit your throat, like I did your employee.”

Tetsuji swallows, staring down at Ichirou, a bead of sweat trickles down his forehead. “I am turning them into stars,” he argues, “they are being trained the same way are the rest of the team.” Tetsuji internally squirms while waiting on an answer.

“What four year old do you know of, should be exercising ten hours a day and be sporting the bruises I’ve found on them?” Ichirou tilts his head in question, stepping toward Tetsuji.

“I-”

“I’ve seen the bruises on my brothers, and some of them resemble the outline of your cane,” Ichirou steps up to Tetsuji, snatching his ornamental cane from his hands with a glare. “If I _ever_ find marks like this on Riko or Kevin again,” he snaps the cane in half over his knee. “You. WILL. Regret it. Understood?”

Tetsuji catches the pieces of his cane being shoved into his arms, swallowing hard. “Yes, sir.”

“Good,” Ichirou smiles and looks to Taki. “I’m going to meet my brothers for lunch, care to join us, Taki-san?”

“Of course young lord,” Taki nods, glancing at Kengo and then Tetsuji, before following Ichirou to the elevator.

Tetsuji looks to his older brother, angered by the head shake he is given, disturbed by Nathan’s grin and wishes he was elsewhere. _What the fuck just happened?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fuck you, Reese.
> 
> I'm not sorry.  
> .  
> .  
> .
> 
> Thanks for reading!!!!!!!! <3
> 
> I didn't proofread, so........ Anywhooooooooooo...
> 
> I hope everyone gets along?


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taking charge, making changes and forming bonds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to fuzzballshetiepants for betaing! Seriously, I don't know what I would do without friends like you!

“What are you planning, Ichirou-kun?” Kengo asks by way of getting his son’s attention, from where he is staring down at the court where the team is.

Ichirou and Taki had returned not long after the boys finished lunch and attended their tutoring session and unsurprisingly, had a rest day from weight training. When Riko and Kevin stared up at Ichirou in disbelief after he told them that Reese would no longer be training them, it nearly broke his heart. Riko was surprised but glad to cling to his brother for that break. Kevin seemed nervous about the change and uncertain what to do with this sudden free time so he became restless until Ichirou sat with them and read them a book - a history book much to Kevin’s interest. They had initially been wary around Taki, but when the older man crouched down to greet them with a smile, they began to warm up to him immediately. It broke Ichirou’s heart to see how hard it was for his brothers to tell who is safe or who is not.

It is nearing the end of the second day and Ichirou fully intends to spend as much time as possible with his brothers in that time, but tomorrow, midday, he and his father are scheduled to fly back to New York City. The mere thought is sickening. Sure they will have Annabeth to look after them, but that is one hour out of the day and _not_ enough to provide his brothers with the attention and affection they need, that they crave. Ichirou promised he’d look after them and that simply cannot be done over the phone from four hundred miles away. They need to be hugged, touched, shown that they matter and are important to Ichirou _in person_.

“I need to arrange for housing near the university,” Ichirou announces seriously, looking up at father. He’s not surprised by the pinching of his father’s brow when it sinks in.

“You are twelve years old, Ichirou,” Kengo reminds him.

Ichirou lifts his brow and looks back at Taki and Yuudai as if they would have answers, but seeing as they aren’t paying attention to them, he just looks back to his father. “I am aware, sir.”

Kengo stares at Ichirou for several moments before his shoulders sag ever so slightly. “You’re right, our ages has never been a proper measure of our maturity or capabilities…” Kengo swallows and wraps his arm around Ichirou’s shoulders. “Even though you have practically raised yourself, Taki-san will stay with you and we can take turns flying back and forth for business. How soon did you want to do this?”

Ichirou practically sinks into his father’s side, thankful for his support and his comfort. “I will fly back to New York with you tomorrow, but I want to be back here by next weekend. I need enough space for my brothers, myself and Taki-san.” Ichirou looks back down to the court, smiling when Kevin and Riko get excited about something one of them did. His eyes look around at the coaches and fails to find Tetsuji, speaking of which. “Tetsuji is going to have a field day when I start taking them home with me.”

Kengo squeezes Ichirou’s shoulder. “You leave my brother to me, all right?” 

“Yes, sir,” Ichirou breathes in deeply, hoping for the best and is thankful he won’t have to deal with his abusive uncle again, just yet. He is not certain if he will be able to maintain his composure when faced with his clenched jaw and angry eyes. “Thank you, father.” 

“Of course, Ichirou-kun,” Kengo murmurs before finally pulling away after giving his son another squeeze. He begins giving orders to Yuudai in Japanese while Taki steps up beside Ichirou.

“So we’re moving down here, is that right, young lord?” Taki asks calmly. 

“Yes, Taki-san, I assume you will need to make arrangements back in New York,” Ichirou side eyes the man who is both his bodyguard and ‘handler’.

A man who is essentially his employee, but has been the closest thing to a companion since Brice stopped looking after him. Taki has taught him how to use many types of firearms and helped him practice other fighting styles from time to time, accompanying him to any and all appointments. He’s always there, but they have never actually bonded and he did not live in the New York City penthouse with them. Now they are about to become housemates and he wonders how they are going to handle that. Ichirou has always been alone, until a couple weeks ago when he killed his grandfather and his father started being at home more frequently. This should be interesting.

“I will take care of it in a timely fashion, young lord,” Taki bows his head in respect.

Ichirou looks at Taki, studying his expression and finds tension in his jaw and his mouth pressed into a thin line. Hm…

“Why don’t you start now? I’m fine on my own,” Ichirou suggests, instead of ordering, watching the tension be replaced by surprise. The same surprise and interest he tried to hide when he invited him to spend time with his brothers, earlier.

“Of course, young lord, thank you,” Taki bows his head and steps away, pulling out his phone.

Ichirou smiles faintly to himself and resumes watching his brothers, planning how this move will go and what to tell his brothers.

 

\---

 

After having joined Kevin and Riko for a few meals now, Ichirou notes that the Ravens are growing more comfortable around him. They stared at him when he arrived at breakfast in fitted, plain black long sleeved shirt and a pair of fitted athletic leggings with his hair damp. This was a drastic change from the nice suit and jacket he arrived in, only for him to have lunch in slacks and a button-down shirt, appearing tense, with a bodyguard. Regardless, the top four Ravens begin to relax, finding their voices as they discuss random topics throughout the meal. Ichirou swears the other twenty-six Ravens are jealous and for some reason, he likes that. 

“So what is it you _do_?” Don, the fourth year starting backliner and the most courageous of the four, asks while they are eating dinner. When Ichirou tilts his head in question, he motions vaguely. “I mean, you’re as physically fit as the rest of us and most of us have been playing exy for years since we were kids, but what about you?”

Ichirou hums and looks down at his brothers -a habit he is certain will not go away any time soon- and smiles internally at their curiosity. “I have also been physically active since I was as young as Riko and Kevin. I am a trained black-belt in both aikido and kendo.” Ichirou is pleased this satisfies Don’s curiosity, as he does not want to give away _too_ much information. These people are still strangers to him.

“Have you watched any of our evening scrimmages?” Sean, the starting goalie joins in the conversation.

Ichirou shakes his head. “I have not had the time, either I have been spending time with my brothers or ‘working’,” Ichirou tried to choose his words carefully, but it still raises the eyebrows of the four players across from him. He’s not sure how to mention ‘I am my father’s apprentice’, without making Riko curious, as Kengo has not shown interest in seeing his youngest child. In fact, he dances around the topic of Riko as well as Kevin, much to his confusion. Does he not want to meet him? 

“You should watch them play, brother, we’re gonna be as good as them someday,” Riko stresses, Kevin nodding beside him.

It pains Ichirou to nod at his brothers. “I am sure I will find the time.” At least this satisfies them for now but Ichirou suspects he’s not going to be able to avoid it for very long. Instead of dwelling on that, he tries to think of how to explain to them he won’t be here the next evening but will be returning for good, come the following weekend.

 

~

 

“Tetsuji,” Kengo nods at his brother as he enters his office, noting how he glares from his seat at his desk, not standing politely as he is supposed to. Daiki would have knocked him on his ass, beat him and then made him stand to greet him properly. That’s never who Kengo has been, so he just shakes his head and approaches him, Yuudai stationed beside the door. “We have matters to discuss, regarding my sons, your nephews.”

“Your _sons_?” Tetsuji growls, dropping the pen he was writing with and leans back in his chair. “I’m intrigued, in all the time that I’ve had the brat, you’ve not once asked about him.” He smirks as Kengo’s jaw tenses, eyes narrowing slightly. “It’s _always_ been about the legacy, the main branch and suddenly our father is dead and you care? Did you finally grow a pair a-” 

“Watch your tone when you are speaking to me, Tetsuji,” Kengo warns him sharply, hating how hostile his younger brother is. “I’ve always shown you respect and I expect the same from you.” 

“You treat me like an expendable employee, same as your second son. The same as Daiki did,” When Kengo steps forward, now angry, Tetsuji stands, a fist with his knuckles white pressed onto the desktop.

Kengo stands a foot from the desk, knowing that both of them are aware that it wouldn’t stop either of them if this conversation should become violent.

“That is enough, Tetsuji,” Kengo hisses, his brown eyes locked with Tetsuji’s defiant black eyes, his jaw twitches as he forces himself to maintain composure. “My reasons for my actions are my own, same as our father’s were his own. I am the head of this family now and Ichirou will be my successor, that is the way it will be. You will mind your place here and return the same respect we give you, is that understood?” 

“Is that an order, my lord?” Tetsuji tests, rage evident in his very being.

Kengo would love to put him in his place, stop this, but he’s frustrated that this is how they have always been toward each other. Never getting along, always fighting - bringing out the worst in each other. Tetsuji hating him, despite numerous attempts to reach out.

“It is now,” Kengo replies firmly. “Sit down.” He watches thoughts and emotions pass through Tetsuji’s eyes before he pulls back and sits down with a biting ‘yes my lord’, making Kengo cringe internally. Tetsuji sees him only as his evil employer, not his brother, evident in the way he simply begins to deflate and is unable to hide the way he glances back at Yuudai, probably worried he would be shot for pushing further. Kengo finally sits in one of the two leather chairs off center from the desk and stares at Tetsuji for a moment, wondering how much he is about to anger him. If Yuudai will actually have to draw his weapon on him, _again_. 

“Well?” Tetsuji motions vaguely with his hand, staring at Kengo.

“Ichirou is going to be shortly moving into a residence nearby the university and he will be taking over raising his brothers. You will only be in charge of overseeing their development as strikers for your team.” Kengo waits for that to sink in, watching Tetsuji’s body language.

“What do you mean, _brothers_?” Tetsuji narrows his eyes. “Do you mean Kevin as well? T-” Tetsuji grits his teeth. “Kevin is _my_ godson and Riko is _my_ charge, the techniques I have been using in their training are specialized to make them grow and develop into the perfect players I plan for them to be. If that is interrupted it could ruin all of their progress.”

“Ichirou will now be responsible for making any and all of those decisions, he has Kevin and Riko’s best interests in mind, so he will be in charge of them.”

“He is a child himself,” Tetsuji scoffs, looking away from Kengo.

“That is none of your concern, Tetsuji. It is Ichirou’s, you will have to discuss specifics with him before any changes or decisions have been made.” Kengo braces himself as Tetsuji makes to stand, but behind him he hears Yuudai move forward in response and Tetsuji is forced to sit back down.

“I am not taking orders from some child-”

“Yes, you will,” Kengo orders, voice hard. “My son is not just any child, but he is a young man and my son. Once again, he is my heir and the young man you will be answering to, understood?” Kengo knows he does not have to explain himself, but he does it anyway, a terrible habit of trying to fix their relationship.

Tetsuji doesn’t respond, glaring at Kengo instead. It is interesting how easy he is to rattle when his brother is normally so composed.

“I require an answer, Tetsuji,” Kengo tilts his head a fraction to the side. “ _Now_. Tetsuji.”

“I understand, my lord,” Tetsuji finally bites out.

“Very good,” Kengo nods and stands up. “Good evening, Tetsuji,” he nods and turns around, exiting the door that Yuudai holds open, nodding politely to his bodyguard. 

When they are outside the closed door, Kengo stands silently beside a patiently waiting Yuudai for a full thirty seconds, listening. A loud crash and a curse can be heard from inside the office and Kengo shakes his head, disappointed at how poorly that went but knows it could have gone so much worse.

“My lord?” Yuudai calls softly when they don’t move just yet.

Kengo shakes his head again and straightens his posture before turning down the hall once more, in dire need of a drink.

 

:(

 

When they return to the eastern tower, Kengo notes his son and Taki haven’t returned and that Nathan has, wearing fresh clothes, sipping whiskey. The familiar glint in his eye that he finds is both exhausting and welcomed, but a hard drink is needed first.

“Whiskey over ice, please Yuudai-san, don’t be shy,” Kengo requests his drink from his bodyguard, carefully sitting on the couch on the opposite corner from Nathan. He drapes one leg over the other, turning slightly to sit so he can look at his Butcher with an arm draped over the back of the couch. “I assume Lola and Romero are dealing with the last bit of the job, yes?”

Nathan leers at Kengo and mirrors his position, sipping from his glass before responding. “Of course - although, I must say I am disappointed that your boy isn’t keen on using the techniques I’ve gifted to him. Same as you, my lord,” his smile sharpens at Kengo’s cool look.

Kengo hums and takes his nearly full glass of whiskey over ice and nods at his bodyguard. “Thank you, Yuudai-san, you may go, I have private business to discuss with Mr. Wesninski.”

Yuudai hesitates for a moment, glancing at the way Nathan’s smile widens and back to Kengo. “Of course, my lord, I will ensure you are to not be disturbed, send for me at any time.” He gives a respectful bow and nods to Nathan before getting onto the elevator, quicker than before.

Kengo watches him leave, draining half of his glass in one breath before he looks to Nathan again. “I hired you because you are talented in that area, as well as _discreet_ , Mr. Wesninski.”

Nathan smirks and slides across the leather couch, invading Kengo’s space, who uses the hand once resting on the back of the couch to grip Nathan’s bicep. Nathan’s calloused hand finding Kengo’s knee, still sipping his drink.

“I know for a fact you hired me for more than that, _Kengo_ ,” Nathan grins, pushing Kengo’s knee so his legs uncross. He’s halted from leaning toward Kengo by the hand on his bicep gripping painfully tight.

“Primarily because you are discreet, _Nathan_ ,” Kengo lowers his tone and maintains eye contact as he finishes his whiskey, the ice clinking in the glass. With the liquor burning pleasantly in his stomach, alcohol working its way into his bloodstream, he can relax. 

Nathan finishes his glass as well, snatches Kengo’s empty one and places them on the coffee table before his eyes find his employer’s. “Discretion is my highest priority, Kengo,” his hands find their way onto Kengo’s body again, smirk widening as Kengo’s eyes narrow and leans in to mouth at his neck, being careful to not leave any unwanted or visible marks. “Are we done talking business, my lord?” 

“Only if you can shut that vicious mouth of yours,” Kengo sinks his fingers into Nathan’s thick auburn curls and drags him into a bruising kiss, that has Nathan fighting for control. Kengo does not give in easily.

With Nathan he’s nothing but another man seeking release in a rough battle for control that only brings pleasure and clears his mind. In that moment, he can be Kengo and not lord Moriyama and Nathan isn’t his Butcher, they are just two men and everything else can wait.

 

\---

 

Ichirou smiles at the way his brothers cling to him the way they have quickly grown accustomed to over the last couple of days, stroking their backs as they tremble. He has just told them he is leaving in less than an hour, promising that he will be back and the both of them immediately started to panic and latched onto him with all of their might.

“Please don’t go, brother,” Riko whimpers into his neck, sniffling.

“Yeah, don’t go,” Kevin begs.

Ichirou’s heart clenches and he wraps them up tight in his arms. “I promise I will be back before you know it and Miss Annabeth will look in on you in the meantime.”

Kevin pulls back from his neck to look up at Ichirou with tear filled eyes. “But-”

“Sh,” Ichirou kisses his forehead, missing the way his mother would do the same and when he pulls back, Kevin has the saddest smile on his face and Riko the most jealous expression on his, so he kisses his forehead next. “I brought something for you two,” he smiles at their curious expressions and reaches for the bag he brought with him, on the floor.

From inside the large plastic bag he pulls out a cellphone - a simple flip phone- coupled with a charger still in the bag and holds it out. He notes how Kevin looks to Riko first and then Riko takes it, staring at it curiously, he can’t help but chuckle. “It’s a cell phone, I have my own so you can call me every day we’re not together.” Ichirou shows them his phone and opens the contacts and selects the first number - _little brothers_ \- and lets it ring. He can’t help but smile at the way Riko jolts when the phone begins to vibrate and ring with a simple, calm melody, Kevin peering at it with wide green eyes.

“Flip it open,” he encourages and watches as Riko has to use both hands to open the phone, immediately connecting the call. “Hi,” he says into the receiver. His voice repeats through the speaker. Ichirou shows them how to put it on loud speaker and they are absolutely fascinated.

“I won’t be here all of the time, but we can talk, okay?” When they nod frantically, Ichirou gives them a pleased smile. “Good, you need to charge it every day, I’ll show you.”

It is very easy to do, Ichirou plugging the charger into the wall and explaining to them to not play with it -or get shocked- for some reason they already know this and Ichirou is not sure why. The three of them set up their phone call schedule upon Kevin’s insistence of ‘ _but when?_ ’ and agree that they will call every morning, during their afternoon break and right before bedtime for this week. The thought of having a reason to use his cell phone other than to ask a rare question about his work to Brice or talk to his father about ‘business’ excites Ichirou.

Speaking of his father… he can’t understand why he has refused to come and meet his little brothers, his own biological son. Kengo would just shake his head and claim he is busy but did tell him he dealt with Tetsuji and that he is in charge of him and his brothers. The thought of that made Ichirou wonder how much Tetsuji’s “The Master’s” ego is bruised and decided to not dwell on it. Kevin and Riko are his priority and Tetsuji is an evil man that he needs to protect them from. Which he will.

Sadly, he does have to go, he realizes once he has given his brothers each a couple of colorful shirts and brought them lavender pillowcases made of Egyptian cotton for a splash of color. At least it won’t be so dreary in here for them, allow them to have something that they can look at and think of him. Not the dreadful black with splashes of crimson

“I will be back as soon as I can, I promise,” Ichirou gives them a final tight squeeze, enjoying the feeling of their small arms hugging back. “I love you two, so much,” he whispers between them, so only they would know even if they are alone in the room together. Their muffled reciprocations of affection is all Ichirou needs to know that Kevin and Riko are the most important people in his life.

 

~

 

“Thank you for keeping it safe, young lord,” Annabeth gives Ichirou a thin smile, accepting her black notebook with both hands in the same fashion it is offered.

“Your notes were very informative, thank you,” Ichirou bows his head politely. “My personal phone number is on a card on the inside, I would appreciate a call every day that I am gone to let me know how they are doing.”

Annabeth looks startled, clutching the notebook to her chest, knuckles white. “Of course, young lord,” her fingers relax. “Will you be away very long?”

Ichirou shakes his head. “No,” he looks over to where Taki is waiting outside of the black SUV they are leaving in, his father and Yuudai inside already and back to Annabeth. “Taki-san and myself are moving into a house nearby, by the end of the week so that I can look after my brothers.” He can’t help but smile at the brilliant smile his statement plasters onto Annabeth’s face. “They have been without me for too long, I will be around much more often now.”

“That’s- young lord,” Annabeth chuckles and her eyes become shiny with tears. “They are so lucky to have you as their brother sir, this is wonderful.”

Ichirou smiles a bit wider, he really does like her, she is a pure-hearted woman with a lot of love to give. This is why he did not have to think about who he would ask to look after his brothers.

“We shall see if I am a proper big brother in time.”

“You will be,” Annabeth nods, sure of herself. “I know it.”

Ichirou just smiles and nods as he bids her farewell before he gets into the vehicle with his father. He notices a proud look in his father’s eye when he looks at him, buckling himself up.

 

\---

 

“How big of a place did you want, Ichirou-kun?” Kengo looks up from the laptop he was using to look at housing for his son, at his desk. Meanwhile, Ichirou is packing away the few personal items he has, having started immediately when they got up the morning after returning to their penthouse in New York City.

“Well,” Ichirou hums, adding the last of the books his mother left him, in the available space in a tote. “It will be me and Taki-san, and then my brothers part of the time. I don’t think they will want to be apart, so a room for each of us, office for us to work, bathrooms, a kitchen - I have no idea how to cook,” Ichirou realizes out loud. 

Kengo stares as his son stares into the tote, bewildered expression on his face - something he has never seen on him before and can’t help but laugh. When Ichirou gives him a startled look, he smiles and shakes his head.

“You’ll just have to employ your own chef,” Kengo tells him easily. “The company we use, they also work at Edgar Allen, they can send you someone- you will most likely want an exercise room since we don’t have any of our trainers here.”

Ichirou frowns and Kengo tilts his head, prompting him. “This is going to be very different… Living on my own, I mean.”

“It probably will be, Taki-san will look after you and you can contact me at any time,” Kengo reassures him.

Ichirou stares at him for a moment and turns back to the tote, shifting things inside it and the silence is very heavy in the air. Kengo feels as if his father is in the doorway, watching them, making Ichirou keep his words to himself and it makes him feel sick. 

“You _can_ talk to me, Ichirou-kun,” Kengo swallows after his quiet promise

Ichirou grips the sides of the tote and then calmly closes it, speaking quietly. “We have never had that type of relationship.”

Kengo feels his heart clench painfully and then a wave of panic crashed over him, drowning him and he can’t breathe as he watches his son just continue on packing. His eyes trail over Ichirou, his stiff posture, carrying the heavy tote to set it on top of the other one he already packed and bring an empty one to his closet to continue. Kengo pushes away from the desk and stands behind his son, gripping his shoulder.

“I’ve always loved you Ichirou, you’ve always been my son and I have always cared about you, I don’t want us to be afraid to be a family.”

Ichirou’s head dips down and he can feel him tense more beneath his hand.

“You mean like with Tetsuji?” Ichirou asks quietly. 

Kengo frowns and nods, licking his lips and swallowing hard, thinking about how awful his last conversation with Tetsuji went. “Yes, like with him, I’ll keep trying with him.” Ichirou doesn’t respond and he can’t help but frown when the silence stretches on. “Ichirou?”

“Why did you not make an effort to meet Riko?” Ichirou asks in a blank voice, staring into the open closet, lined with uniforms, suits and slightly more casual wear. Everything name brand, tailored and pristine.

Kengo feels sick, hand dropping to his side when his own silence prompts Ichirou to turn around, looking up at him. Ichirou is only five feet tall at age twelve, to Kengo’s five foot seven and yet his blank expression, but hard eyes have him frozen in place paired with his question. His abusive father always made him feel afraid, like a child anticipating being hit. Tetsuji made him feel exhausted as he attempted to connect, only to fail. Ichirou though; Kengo feels as if he is beneath his son. He stands by his statement, that Ichirou is the strongest person in this family; the stone facade on which his feet have been planted crumbles, just a little. 

Imagine that, his twelve-year-old son has the power to make him feel insecure.

“He-” Kengo tries to explain himself and his mind goes blank, closing his mouth again. Ichirou does not look impressed. “I have nothing to offer Riko,” he finally offers.

The fire in Ichirou’s eyes locks Kengo into place and he feels the urge to avert his eyes in respect, feeling ashamed. He is doing it before he realizes and doesn’t find the courage to look at him when he speaks.

“Is that why you couldn’t protect me from _him_?” Ichirou practically snaps. “I spent years _terrified_ of that man because I could not do anything but take the abuse and believe everything I did wasn’t good enough. I _watched_ you turn away whenever he was ‘punishing’ me, you ran away from him instead of helping me!” 

Kengo panics, looking back at his son. “I-I was-”

“Don’t make excuses!” Ichirou snaps and Kengo takes half a step back. “You said I can talk to you, but when I needed you you ran from me! How am I supposed to talk to you?”

“Ichirou-” Kengo crumbles internally when he raised his hand, wanting to try and comfort his son, only for Ichirou to reflexively flinch away. His hand drops back down a second time and takes a few steps back, giving him space. “I’m sorry.”

“Are you?” Ichirou looks at the floor, glares at the floor.

Kengo is taken aback and - “Excuse me?”

“I had to fix everything myself, father,” Ichirou doesn’t look up and Kengo doesn’t think he wants him to. “I was _eight_ the first time that man beat me for mourning my mother’s death, her murder and she knew it would happen and I didn’t realize it at the time. You did.” Ichirou sucks in a shuddering breath and balls up his fists, shaking. 

“You knew he would kill her and let him take Riko! You hid behind your fear of him while I had everything important taken away from me!”

Kengo’s eyes widen when Ichirou advances on him, tears in his eyes, but not falling and raises his hands in surrender, making him stop. “Ichirou-” he tries again, only to be cut off.

“I killed him because he was hurting me! Why couldn’t you have done something sooner? I killed him and _then_ you comforted me? But when I needed you there before, where were you? You took almost two weeks to tell me my brother is alive and you didn’t meet him. I held him for hours, him and Kevin and it was the best feeling in the world. I held him and let him cling to me as long as he needed because that is exactly what I needed my entire life and you denied me that.”

“I’m sorry,” Kengo looks down again, running a hand through his short black hair.

“I killed a man for putting his hands on my brothers. I had the bare minimum of evidence and dealt with it because they needed me to do it. I didn’t want to do it, but I had to. _I love Riko_. And Kevin. I know I just met them…” Ichirou gestures vaguely, grasping for his words. “I would do anything to protect them and you won’t even _meet_ your son. 

“...You are stronger than me.”

“Strength has nothing to do with it,” Ichirou shakes his head, Kengo feels so insignificant. “I knew what needed to be done and did it, regardless of what _I_ wanted and believed in.”

“What do you want me to say, Ichirou?” Kengo frowns and looks up at him, surprised at how upset he looks, thinking back to how violently he had broken down after killing that man the day before. Somehow, Ichirou looks even more hurt than that and Kengo is the one to have done it.

“If you have to ask _me_ that, then you won’t ever be able to have the relationship you think we have. We’ll never be the type of father and son that ‘talks’.” Ichirou stares at Kengo for a long moment and shakes his head again. “You really don’t have anything to offer Riko if you can’t even do anything for me and I’m not the ‘unwanted son’.”

Kengo’s jaw drops in shock at Ichirou’s words and judging by the clenching of his jaw, he meant those words. God that cut deep, it hurt more than any of his father’s blows.

“I will leave you to finish packing,” Kengo announces emotionlessly. “Let me know if there is anything that you need. In the meantime, I will email you the housing currently available for you to choose from, let me know what you decide on by this evening so the process can begin.” With a final glance to Ichirou, who is staring blankly through him, he takes his laptop and exits Ichirou’s bedroom, closing the door with a soft click and ignores his son’s bodyguard carrying a stack of totes down the hall.

In his own office, Kengo compiles a list of houses with their details in an email for his son, sends it and spends the rest of the day drinking glass after glass of whiskey. Guilt and failure weighing heavily on his mind and heart.

 

\---

 

Ichirou chooses a beautiful two-story house with lots of windows to let in light, five bedrooms and bathrooms, a brand new kitchen with an equally nice dining room attached, wall to wall hardwood flooring on the first floor even in the living room and a small gym beside a study. Thinking of the garden his mother tended to, on the roof of the penthouse, this house has a beautiful garden in the back. There is an in-ground pool and a high, sophisticated fence around the backyard for privacy, bushes in the front of the house that the real estate agent gave the number of a landscaping service to maintain as well as the lawn and a long driveway leading up two a two-car garage. Ichirou likes the large staircase in the foyer that branches off toward either side of the second floor where all of the bedrooms are, with plush carpeting everywhere.

For himself, Ichirou took the master bedroom at the furthest end with the attached master bath and a bay window that looked over the garden. He really likes it, it reminded of his room in New York City. The house is excessive, he thinks, but the light, open spaces and the safe neighborhood made him choose it for Kevin and Riko and partially, as well as himself.

To the surprise of the painters he hired, he choose a very light lavender for the color of his walls and the interior designer decorated his room with greys, whites and complementing purples. His mother always wore purple in many different shades and she always smelled like the jasmine tea that she drank with him in the morning. He doesn't care if it is childish for wanting something to remind him of her or make him feel connected to her, but without anyone to tell him otherwise, he set his room up that way and even included a makeshift memorial with her picture on its own shelf on his bookcase that he is currently loading with books. 

“Young lord,” Taki’s knock on his open door brings him out of his thoughts and looks to him. “The security system is online and it is almost time to head to the university.”

“Thank you, Taki-san.” Ichirou nods and slides the last book, introduction to German onto the shelf and steps back. Everything looks nice, set up and in place. Odd how it feels so good to have things set up the way _he_ wants and no one can stop him. He hopes the simple set up for his brothers is acceptable and even hoping the guest rooms are nice as well as; “Have you set up your room the way you like, Taki-san?”

Taki looks startled at the question, given how friendly it is between an employer and his employee, but he does grin as he answers; “Yes, thank you young lord, I appreciate your generosity.” Meaning Ichirou handed him the credit card his father gave him and told him to get whatever the designers thought the house needed as well as whatever he wanted for his own personal space.

“This is your home as well, Taki-san, you should feel comfortable here,” Ichirou finds himself saying as he straightens the books obsessively. He feels nervous, for some reason, with the way Taki appears to be contemplating his statement, a warm look in his eyes. “Ah, how is the search for a new weight trainer for my brothers going?”

“I did background checks on the ones that were qualified and I’ll email the results to you after I get them all back.”

“Okay, thank you,” Ichirou forces himself to leave the books alone and steps away, looking around his room with a sense of pride, feeling good. At least he'll have a place of his own with no bad memories attached, to retreat to. “Alright, let's go, Kevin and Riko were practically screaming when I told them I am coming to get them today.”

Ichirou grabs his black canvas messenger bag -recommended by Taki, to carry his things instead of a coat in the middle of summer- and walks to his door, surprised to find Taki looking down at him, as if he has something to say. “Yes?”

“I- your brothers, they seem sweet,” Taki finally tells him.

Ichirou blinks but smiles genuinely at him because of the comment, even if he knows that can’t have been all Taki wanted to say. “Thank you, they really are - you should hear the way they talked non-stop on the phone, they had something to say every single time we got on the phone since I left. It was …” Ichirou trails off, chest feeling light and warm, thinking about each of those calls with Kevin and Riko. “Let’s go,” he orders softly, pulling his door shut 

He doesn’t miss the soft expression that replaces Taki’s uncertainty but chooses to say nothing, instead, anticipating retrieving his brothers and bringing them home for the weekend.

 

~

 

“Big brother!” Kevin and Riko shout when they follow Annabeth’s line of sight to the door when she stopped mid-sentence during their lesson. Their big brother is walking through the door of the library, Taki standing in the doorway. They look back at Annabeth for permission and scramble off of their chairs to hug Ichirou, launching into his open arms and latch on with every ounce of strength they have as he picks them up.

“We missed you brother!” Kevin laughs into Ichirou’s neck, absolutely beaming. 

“Don’t go away again!” Riko demands, his little arms and legs tightening their hold.

“I missed you too!” Ichirou laughs at their words, completely forgetting everything around them so that he can wrap his brothers in his own strong arms. The painfully tight grip of Kevin and Riko’s limbs is welcomed happily, feeling just _right_ holding them. “God I missed you two,” he whispers between them, kissing their cheeks on impulse, smiling when they giggle.

“You were gone forever,” Kevin mumbles, fingers curling around the strap of Ichirou’s messenger bag, nuzzling his neck before he leans back to look at his brother’s face. 

“I’m sorry I was gone so long, I had to move so I could be close to you two,” Ichirou smiles apologetically, adjusting his hold on the two heavy child athletes.

“Move?” Riko echoes the word, pulling his face from Ichirou’s neck, his brown eyes shining with curiosity. “Wassa move?”

“‘What is’,” Ichirou corrects gently, grinning when Riko blushes, glancing away. “It’s okay you are still learning.” At Riko’s positive response, he squeezes his brothers and lowers them to the floor -not that far of a distance for him- and breathes out a laugh when they refuse to let go. “Come on now, I have a surprise for you.” He does it again when they let go quickly, but latch onto his hands instead.

“ _What is_ a surprise?” Kevin asks, emphasizing the proper wording proudly, he smiles sheepishly at Riko’s quiet huff, but looks back to their big brother.

Ichirou feels the muscles in his jaw twitch when he clenches his teeth and looks up at Annabeth, watching from where she was sitting at their table, smiling fondly, but Kevin’s question does not seem to _surprise_ her. Given only an hour a day for studies that they were more than likely too tired to retain, he is not _surprised_ that there is so much that they do not understand.

He mentally steels himself and smiles at them again. “It is something you don’t expect, why don’t you thank your tutor for teaching you and I’ll bring you to your surprise?”

Even though Ichirou knows that they have had quite the workout this morning, having been told _all_ about it during their mid-morning break as the Ravens are at their first game of the season, Kevin and Riko sprint over to a smiling Annabeth to do as they are told. It is an away game and Ichirou only cares that that means Tetsuji is not around to spaz out about him taking his brothers from the Nest. It is the first time, he thinks, they will be leaving the university, but that is fine. He wants to make sure everything from here on out is pleasant and good for his brothers.

When they walk out, Annabeth gives him a smile that he can’t help but return, leading his brothers by hand out of the library and notes the amused look in Taki’s eyes. He gives him a questioning look this time, only to have Taki grin and lead the way out of the Nest, the shiny, brand new black SUV they bought for transport in West Virginia. As expected, Riko and Kevin are in awe of everything, not even complaining about the booster seats they get strapped into in the back, gripping their seat belts and looking around the luxury vehicle. Ichirou isn’t sure how safe it is, but he sits between them with a seatbelt strapped tight across his hips for the entire drive and feels eyes on him constantly while answering any questions they have.

The house is a short twenty-minute drive from the university without traffic, but it’s the most exciting drive he has ever been on. An exciting drive that turns into an exciting arrival when they pull up to the electronic gate that Taki unlocks and drives them through, secured behind them as they roll up the driveway. 

“It’s _huge_!” Kevin cries out.

“Is this your house, brother!?” Riko grabs his hand, pressing the other to the glass of the window as he tries to get closer.

“This is _our_ house,” Ichirou amends, smiling at the two heads that whip around to look at him. “Every weekend, you two will be staying with me, okay?” When their eyes widen in shock, his heart explodes. “Surprise?” His eardrums shatter next and everything is a whirlwind once they get out of the SUV inside of the two-car garage.

Taki gives him a side glance when he tells them to explore ‘ _but be careful_ ’, watching them grab each other’s hands and tug each other into the house, looking around the first floor.

“You may not be able to get them to sit down for a while, young lord,” Taki clicks his tongue. 

Ichirou shrugs, adjusting his bag and follows after them. “Will you order us something for dinner, Taki-san?” They haven’t arranged for a proper cook yet, it was not a priority at the time and right now he doesn’t care for Taki’s questions, waving backward at him while trying to catch up to Kevin and Riko, as they venture deeper into the house.

Ichirou thinks about his phone calls with Annabeth.  ‘They miss you.’ ‘They are mostly quiet again, but talk about your phone calls nonstop.’  ‘They were worried you were lying about coming back, today, I promised them you’d be back in a couple days.’ ‘Kevin is worried about getting in trouble for not using the weight room after our lessons.’ ‘Riko asked me every day so far if you were ever _really_ here.’  Annabeth is gentle and truthful when reporting to him, Ichirou is grateful for her input.

‘ _They have hope and life in their eyes again._ ’ Annabeth had told him.

Not that he didn’t hear it during their phone calls when Riko’s normally careful words began to fuse together with the smile in his voice. Kevin talking about everything he has learned and thinks he can do better. Both of them thriving on his praise, compliments, and encouragement. All of which he is glad to provide as it is everything his mother gave him and everything he wishes he still received. Somehow those things do not compare to the love and gratitude he receives from Kevin and Riko when he smiles at them and nodding to them when they begin climbing the staircase.

“I want to show you something,” he says while walking up behind them, his brothers vibrating with excitement while he guides them with a gentle touch to their the backs. They arrive at the first door on the right, just before his bedroom at the other end. “This is your room,” he tells them and opens the door, grinning at their quiet gasps of excitement.

“Wow!” They both shout in awe and dart inside.

Their shared room is painted a neutral warm grey and accented with different bright colors and wide windows that let in a lot of light. Their twin beds are decorated simply, there is a large table with chairs for them to work at and books on their new bookshelf. Where their dorm room at the Nest is dark and depressing, he wanted their room here to be bright, comfortable and welcoming. Judging by the way his brothers wander around, touching everything from the pillows on their beds, to the brand new books and the carpet and even the wood of the window frame, he achieved that, they aren’t afraid to touch and explore. Ichirou knows that this isn’t yet perfect for two four-year-old boys, having only had three full days to get something put together for them, but it’s a start.

When he sees them pressed against the window, leaving handprints on the glass to get a look outside, he feels as if he is being pushed into the room. Before he knows it, Ichirou is kneeling between his brothers at the window that faces the edge of the garden and looks out toward a treeline. He’s being hugged again and given they are two very strong child athletes he is pinned to their plush, carpeted floor in seconds with his arms full of his brothers. There is giggling and smiles and warmth between the three of them and he doesn’t know what to say, but has a damn good feeling there are no words needed here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this rollercoaster of a chapter!
> 
> I love these boys so much. Sorry for the drama, but it's AFTG...
> 
> I stan Kengo/Nathan ((poor Yuudai))
> 
> Taki and Annabeth became important characters, what is life...
> 
> I had to fix the formatting and a few mistakes FIVE times because Ao3 CRASHED on me and my drafts didn't get saved, even though I started saving them every five minutes after the second time it got messed up! So, I apologize for any mistakes, but I'm annoyed at doing the same thing five friggen times... ><
> 
> Chapter 9 is coming, I promise! Puzzle Pieces will be updated too! ^_^
> 
> Thank you for reading, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to fuzzballsheltiepants for betaing!  
> (At this point, it's OUR baby <3)
> 
> Please enjoy Chapter 9!!!

Ichirou smiles softly as he watches his brothers eat the takeout Taki ordered for them, pleased that they sound like they are enjoying it. Apparently this is their first time eating Chinese take-out and honestly, he is pretty sure he has consumed his daily recommended intake of… everything in this meal alone. He can taste the calories. No matter, he has no intention of eating like this on a daily basis. He looks to Taki, leaning against the kitchen counter with his container and chopsticks, watching him and his brothers eat at the kitchen island the boys wanted to sit at. Taki offers him a grin, nodding his head and mouths ‘this is sooo good, thanks’ at him and Ichirou smiles back before turning to the boys. They are such polite and quiet eaters; they are careful with their utensils but insisted on trying chopsticks ‘like big brother ‘n Taki-san’. It lasted all of five minutes before Ichirou was modifying the chopsticks so that they would be easier to eat with.

“What would you two like to do after dinner?” Ichirou asks softly, noting how Riko is more interested in the rice saturated in the savory sauce from his meat and Kevin focusing more on the vegetables of their shared meal, which he finds interesting.

“Can we watch the Ravens play?” Kevin asks, tilting his head.

Ichirou wants to scream as Riko nods rapidly in agreement, his mouth full of rice. He turns to glare at Taki when he hears him choke on a laugh, rolling his eyes when Taki smiles and waves at him in mock apology. He turns his smile back on his brothers though and nods. “Finish eating while I set it up, okay?” Ichirou pushes away from the island when they voice their understanding, putting his dirty dishes in the sink and pets his brothers’ hair on the way to the living room.

He is staring at the TV screen while flipping through the channels to find college exy, wondering why he is allowing his brothers to sucker him into watching this horrid sport. Isn't it bad enough that they play it?

“It's channel six-eighteen,” Taki announces from beside him, making him jump unexpectedly. Ichirou stares at him with a hard gaze and wonders why he doesn't shudder in fear.

“Thank you,” he finds himself saying, flipping to the channel.

“I looked it up earlier, I knew you wouldn't since you hate exy.”

“Okay.” Ichirou nods.

“Okay.” Taki gives him a calm smile, “I'm here for you.” Taki grips his shoulder, smiling at him.

“Okay,” Ichirou repeats, flushing with Taki’s touch; such a simple gesture shouldn’t make him feel so _needy_ . He should be pushing him away and reprimanding him for acting so familiar with his boss, not… craving _more_ . But… he does, want more and his upbringing keeps pressing the issue. He should stop this. He doesn’t want to. He missed this. So. _So much._

“I-" Ichirou is cut off, surprised as he is pulled into a side hug. “ _Taki-san_.”

“Young Lord.”

“What-"

“ _Young Lord_.” Ichirou tilts his head up to look at Taki, sending him a hard look, as the older man holds him against his side in a hug, squeezing him in an embrace and does not seem to be letting go anytime soon.

There is a full thirty seconds of Ichirou standing still, but he feels an unfamiliar urge to turn to hug Taki, turning to hug him, hugging him as hard as he can manage. For just a second, Taki stiffens, before he wraps Ichirou up in both of his arms and Ichirou feels...safe.  He wonders if this is how a proper child feels, without anything to worry about, here in Taki’s arms.

 

\---

 

“I don’t understand the point of this,” Ichirou frowns at the huge four-story multi-wing building they have pulled into the parking lot of; Central Square Mall, which annoys him that it isn’t even the biggest mall in West Virginia, but still enormous. He does not know why he agreed to the suggestion of taking the boys on an outing to the mall, to get them used to being around people and explore. Why the mall? Couldn’t they have gone any number of places that have fewer people?

“The three of you need clothes,” Taki answers easily, flicking his turn signal one and driving them closer. Ichirou doesn’t look over from where he is seated in the front passenger seat to see if Taki has that grin his bodyguard has been constantly wearing on his face.

“I have clothes and so do they,” after a beat, Ichirou turns to look in the back where he sees Kevin and Riko looking out their respective windows, intrigued expressions on their faces because everything is a new experience. They are both dressed in their child size Ravens tracksuits and those are not the only sets they own. Okay, maybe he has a point.

“They look depressing, dressed in all black and you look like a tiny businessman in your suits.”

Ichirou snaps his gaze back to Taki, shocked at the blatant disrespect. “Taki-san-”

“ _Young Lord,”_ Taki cuts him off, looking at him, eyebrow raised. “ _You are_ **_twelve_ ** _, you should dress like it and find a style you like, separate work and play,_ ” he tells him seriously in Japanese.

Ichirou knows he should be annoyed at Taki, _his employee_ ; should be reprimanding him for talking to him like this. He can’t find it in him to be upset, yet alone say anything like that in front of his brothers. Speaking of, he looks back again to see if they are even registering that they are speaking Japanese, wondering if they are tuning them out or if they don’t have an understanding of the language just yet, and then back to Taki.

“ _Young Lord_?”

Taki’s nervousness is palpable in his voice and posture, making Ichirou realize he has not responded, just staring at him. Blinking a couple times, Ichirou faces forward again.

“ _I am to be the next Lord Moriyama, people have high expectations of me, Taki-san_ ,” Ichirou finally replies.

“ _You are twelve_ ,” Taki insists. “ _No one but the family expects_ _anything_ _of you_.”

What would his father say if he saw him like this? Saw him considering going along with Taki’s ideas? What would his _grandfather_ say- Ichirou feels a spark of interest at the idea of insulting his grandfather and all of his rules and expectation. To change everything that is honestly outdated and truly unfair, it’s what he wanted to do in the first place, isn’t it? He might as well start small, given the limited power he has right now.

“ _Alright, Taki-san, I will trust that you know what you are talking about_ ,” Ichirou tells him with a definite nod, a mischievous smile twitching at the corner of his lips. He watches Taki relax.

“ _You got it, young Lord!_ ”

“ _Ichirou_ ,” tells him instinctively and elaborates at Taki’s confused noise. “ _I would like you to call me Ichirou from now on_ ,” he pauses, thinking. “ _Unless we are around-_ ”

“ _Around people who would have something to say about it_ ,” Taki finishes for him, beaming and Ichirou can’t help but smile back, Taki’s positive mood is contagious. Ichirou likes it.

 

~

 

“Don’t leave our side, be respectful, don’t touch anything that doesn’t belong to you and don’t be afraid to ask any questions,” Taki tells the boys as he helps Kevin out of his car seat while Ichirou helps Riko out of his.

Ichirou smiles at Riko when he gives him a cheeky smile, clinging to him. “We are only shopping for clothes, how many questions could I have?” Ichirou asks, adjusting Riko on his hip since he refuses to let go and compulsively kissing his cheek. Riko giggles and he feels warm, hugging his brother tight while he closes the door. When he turns, Taki is standing at the front of the SUV, smiling at them, Kevin holding his hand.

“You’ll be surprised,” Taki promises, offering a grin and locks the SUV, setting the alarm. “Alright, we are meeting our personal shopper in ten at the food court, so let’s go.”

Ichirou blinks in confusion and follows after Taki who had already started walking with Kevin. “What do we need a personal shopper for?” He tries to not feel annoyed when Taki just laughs at him.

 

~

 

“Hi! I’m Bethany and I will be your personal shopper today!” Bethany introduces herself, her bleach blonde hair in a high ponytail, flashing them a sweet smile. “You must be Taki… Matsui?” Her smile widens when Taki nods at her pronunciation. “It is great to meet you! Who are these?” She asks, leaning down to smile at the boys, grinning when Riko giggles at the attention and Kevin smiles at her.

“These…” Taki starts, looking down at Ichirou as he looks up at him. When Taki looks back at Bethany; “These are my charges, Ichirou and his little brothers Kevin and Riko.”

“Charges?” Bethany asks curiously. “Oh! You're their babysitter! How sweet of you to take them shopping- school starts next week, right?”

“Something like that,” Taki chuckles.

Ichirou, who definitely does not like the idea of being ‘babysat’ by his employee, gives Taki a sharp look, only to be tugged against him in a side hug.

“Great! So since you didn’t set a price limit on your request form, why don’t you tell me about what you like on our way to the first store?” Bethany motions for them to walk with her, walking with a bounce in her step and her hair swaying with every move.

Ichirou steps out of Taki’s hold to follow her, gripping both Riko’s and Kevin’s hands when they slip into his as they walk. Behind him, he hears Taki stifle a laugh and the sound of him fumbling with something. When he turns his head to look at him, Taki is grinning at him, phone in hand. He chooses to not question it, he hasn’t been given many answers so far and returns his attention to Bethany.

“I am not sure what I like,” Ichirou tells her honestly. “Kevin and Riko have worn clothes like this since they were born.” That sounds more depressing when said out loud and Bethany’s poor attempt at hiding her shock isn’t helping.

“Okay, what are your favorite colors?” Bethany manages to ask.

“Red!” Riko and Kevin announce simultaneously and Ichirou smiles at the way his brother’s giggle about it.

“Mine is purple,” Ichirou adds when she looks at him. “Lavender, to be exact,” he amends after thinking about the color of his bedroom.

“Mine is blue, in case anyone was wondering,” Taki pipes up and Ichirou bites the inside of his cheek to stop himself from snorting.

“I can work with that!” Bethany laughs. She asks a couple more questions; what kind of texture? How tight or loose do they like their clothes? How long do they want to take to get dressed in the morning? Style over function?

Ichirou honestly did not understand half of the questions and most of them really couldn’t be applied to his brothers. Bethany must have sensed his internal struggle because she told him as they entered the first store, that they could simply try things on to get a feel before making any choices. The boys are excited, but Ichirou isn’t sure why he feels so relieved about being able to look around before giving an answer.

The first store appears to be for children Kevin and Riko’s age, as there aren’t any clothes in Ichirou’s size, let alone Taki’s or Bethany’s. Taki hoovers by the entrance, watching over the boys much to Ichirou’s appreciation even though it is expected, while he walks with his brothers close by and looks at the clothes that draw his brothers' eyes. Bethany is watching them and observing what interests them for the five minutes it takes the three brothers to wander through the racks of child-size clothing.

Ichirou is staring at the sizes on a fall jacket that Kevin said he liked and wonders how long until Kevin would outgrow it. Would they have to go shopping for like this again in a few months? Back in New York, his father would have someone stop by and take his measurements when told that his clothes were getting too small and within a week he would have new clothes in his closet. This is not New York and Taki seems insistent on the three of them being ‘normal’.

“I have some clothes for your brothers to try on,” Bethany announces cheerfully. She looks way too excited in Ichirou’s opinion. Though this is her job, so maybe she _should_ find enjoyment in it. “Do you need help trying them on?”

Ichirou looks down at his brothers, wondering why Kevin shakes his head but Riko looks up at him shyly. “Do you want me to help you, Riko?”

“Yes please!” Riko tugs on his hand and gives him a pleading look.

“I will set out the outfits I have planned in the dressing rooms then!”

 

~

 

Helping Riko try on clothes was easy enough, Riko liked the attention more than the clothes. Kevin liked the praise about how cute he looks and how comfortable his outfits are. Bethany included sizes larger than what fit them now, so they won’t have to worry about not having clothes that fit and nothing to wear. At least they have clothes that give them personality and life, unlike the black and red uniforms that Tetsuji only dressed them in.

“ _Much better_ ,” Taki comments in Japanese, grinning beside Ichirou at Kevin and Riko in jeans and colorful t-shirts. “ _Now it’s your turn, kid_.” Ichirou blinks up at Taki when he nudges him.

“ _Kid_?”

“ _Well, I am your babysitter_.”

Ichirou feels his eye twitch at that word as Taki stifles another laugh. “ _Taki-san,_ ” Ichirou growls. He might be small, but he can take a man Taki’s size down, no problem. He’s proven that.

“The manager said we can leave the bags here if you don’t want to carry them around,” Bethany unknowingly interrupts. “After we are done shopping we can pick everything up.”

Ichirou has a feeling the manager smiling at them from the counter only offered this because ‘Taki’ just spent several hundred dollars and they weren’t rude to the staff. Still, Taki agrees and they follow Bethany out to the next store.

The new store is one for teenagers, with clothing he can imagine his grandfather and maybe even his father getting upset over him _thinking_ about wearing. Ichirou wanders through the racks of clothing like he did with his brothers, Bethany observing as he does and Taki standing guard at the entrance. The boys section is full of textures that are off-putting visually and tactually. He doesn’t like the concept, according to the mannequin he saw, of trousers that are supposed to practically fall off of your body. Just, why? He does like the skinny jeans he finds, not too rough and should fit him nicely, but other than white, blue or highlighter yellow, there are not many colors to choose from.

Eventually, Bethany does tell him she has clothes for him to try on, but does not sound very confident. She has a right to be, because she tried to dress him in polo shirts and khakis and if he wanted to continue dressing like a ‘tiny businessman’, he has numerous bespoke suits at home. When he steps out to show her and his brothers, she purses her lips and excuses herself. He sees her walk up to Taki and wonders what they could be discussing, not liking being talked about without his permission.

“You don’t like it, brother?” Riko fake whispers, tugging on the hem of Ichirou’s light blue polo.

“No, I do not,” he agrees.

“It’s boring,” Kevin adds honestly. Ichirou grins.

“It is, isn’t it?” Ichirou ruffles Kevin’s hair and steps back into the fitting room, looking through all of the clothes Bethany picked, wondering if he somehow missed something. Beside him, Kevin and Riko play in the mirror.

“Ichirou, I think I have something different that you might actually want to try on,” Bethany reappears with an armful of visually appealing clothes. Ichirou does not recall seeing anything in those shades pink or purple when he was browsing. Bethany looks way more positive about her selection as if she knows he’ll like what she has to offer.

“Okay.”

Bethany looks excited at his easy acceptance and they remove all of the clothing he didn’t like, he decides the skinny jeans can stay and Ichirou starts changing into the new clothes.

It doesn’t take more than a glance at the tag for Ichirou to realize that Bethany had in fact shopped in the girls section and finds he does not mind, especially because of how soft everything feels. The clothes are not ‘girly’ and don’t feel like they are falling off of him. Ichirou is enjoying the feeling of the soft slate grey leggings he is wearing and the lightweight long sleeve button up shirt that falls to mid-thigh, billowing to fit someone with wide hips, in a soft purple. It is the first outfit to make him smile and when he shows his brothers they beam and use their limited vocabulary to tell him how much they like it.

“I would like more clothes like these,” Ichirou tells Bethany and three stores, two hours and several hundred dollars spent later, they have finished shopping for him as well.

At the end, Bethany is handed an envelope by Taki and she thanks him graciously, telling him to call her again for any more shopping excursions. Even though it was long and tedious, too many people smiling at them as they walked by, Ichirou thinks he wouldn’t mind shopping again while they head to the parking garage with both his and his brother’s bags. At least nothing problematic happened, what with Taki watching over them and for that, Ichirou is grateful.

“You don’t look uncomfortable anymore,” Taki pulls Ichirou from his thoughts while they are driving away from the mall. Ichirou looks at his bodyguard curiously, but he is focused on driving, so he looks down at himself, still wearing the first outfit Bethany put him in as it was the most comfortable.

“I guess I like my new clothes,” Ichirou shrugs and looks up to see Taki fighting a too-pleased smile from spreading across his face. He can’t help but say; “thank you, Taki-san.”

“You’re welcome, Ichirou,” Taki finally turns his head and grins, just as Kevin and Riko voice their thanks as well. It was a good day.

 

\--- The following Monday ---

 

“Come _on_ , Ichirou, don’t wear a suit, these people aren’t going to expect you to be in one every time they see you,” Taki frowns at Ichirou when he is coming down the stairs, about to head to Evermore to start their day.

“Father said it is important to make a good impression when you interview potential employees,” Ichirou insists, smoothing his hands over his suit jacket and adjusts his tie when Taki crosses his arms over his chest.

“You are interviewing people to fill the positions of a _private_ chef, a _personal_ trainer and a _housekeeper_ ,” Taki emphasizes dramatically. “ _Not_ a secretary who will be arranging your meetings! You will be having a more personal relationship with these people, so _please_ wear something that doesn’t make you look so uncomfortable and like you’re trying too hard.”

“Taki-san…” Ichirou sighs, looking down at his outfit again and thinks of all the nice clothes they bought over the weekend. He had been wearing yoga pants and soft, lightweight tops since then and pulling on this suit after that had been a noticeable change. His comfortable clothes took a total of two minutes to change into - that's including the time it took to pick out the clothes and his suit took him eight minutes to carefully put on.

“Come on, kid,” Taki gently pushes him back up the stairs and he goes easily. “Your brothers are still practicing so they won’t be waiting and your first interview isn’t until nine.”

“But-”

“You are twelve, I don’t know why I have to keep repeating myself,” Taki cuts him off while leading him into Ichirou’s bedroom. “Pick something _you_ like, you want people to see you as approachable.” Ichirou frowns at him, untying his tie and removing his jacket. “You don’t want people to look at you and immediately end up thinking you’re just some asshole kid who thinks they are better than everyone.”

Ichirou flushes at Taki's blunt comment. He is unable to find the words to argue, so he hangs up his suit jacket, shirt, and tie with excessive care. “Do I act like that?” He asks softly, staring at the rows of brand new and freshly laundered clothes and grabs a pair of black skinny jeans and a white long sleeve shirt. Very simple and not as formal as a suit, but not as casual as the yoga pants or leggings and oversized shirts he instantly favored.

“You act like you are trying desperately to be someone you’re not,” Taki answers as he changes, facing away from him to give him privacy. Ichirou glances at him once his new shirt is pulled over his head.

“Well then… who am I?” Ichirou asks seriously because he honestly would like to know. His question seems to throw Taki off guard. He falls quiet while Ichirou removes his dress shoes and slacks, stepping into his jeans. He sighs, contented, as he steps into his brand new sneakers that seem to go with everything.

“You are... hm…” Taki smiles when Ichirou walks into his room, out of his walk-in closet. “You are _you_ , Ichirou,” Taki says this in such a way that it holds more meaning than any actual words he could have used to describe Ichirou and it makes Ichirou feel light. “You are a person who is still trying to figure out what it means to be you and you need to do it, without worrying about being like someone else, okay?”

Ichirou somehow understands and nods. “Okay.” With that, Ichirou collects his bag and they head for Evermore, Ichirou feeling more confident than he ever had in a suit.

 

~

 

Ichirou had thought long and hard about how he would raise Kevin and Riko, how he would manage it while still grooming himself to become the next Lord Moriyama. His studies are the most important part, learning as much as possible while his youth is on his side. He will not have to step into his apprenticeship officially until he turns eighteen, but his grandfather had been training him since the day he was born. With people like Nathan Wesninski and Lola Malcolm being employed by the Moriyama family, it was never hard for Ichirou to figure out that ‘Real World Latitude’ is not only the Moriyama family’s international trading company but a front for something bigger. Something more… illegal.

The people Kengo surrounded himself with, whether it was intentional or forced, had always given Ichirou the creeps and at some point, he had grown numb to it all. That is, until he had the two little boys he loves most in this world in his arms. After being told Riko was dead, a part of Ichirou had frozen over and had given up, letting himself be molded into whatever the family needed, growing blind to the horrors of the life of a Moriyama. Sure, killing Daiki is what led him back to his brother, but it is Riko’s and now Kevin’s wellbeing that made him see the world the way his mother had raised him to see it.

Ichirou thinks that if he didn’t have his brothers in his life as he does now, Taki would still be the silent bodyguard who keeps his weapon and self-defense skills sharp. Taki would not be the man that he has begun to see as a companion of sorts and someone to go to with questions. He may also have never become the first person in his life to try and push every single button of Ichirou’s that he had not known existed.

“Young Lord,” Annabeth gets his attention from beside him. Today she agreed to come to Evermore early and lend her keen observation skills and take notes while he interviewed people to work for him. So far, they have spoken to six men and women, all of which stared at Ichirou for far too long when they realized that _he_ would be interviewing them. Only three of them managed to maintain a sense of professionalism and were properly interviewed. One of them even laughed on their way out of the room and the other two were dismissed halfway through the interview when they kept looking to Annabeth or Taki for answers as to why a twelve-year-old was interviewing them.

“Yes, Miss Annabeth?” Ichirou looks to his brothers’ tutor. He can’t help but relax around her. This woman treated him with a respect that Ichirou feels as if he earned from her, rather than being treated as if she were forced to do so. Annabeth is kind, wise and warm, and it helps that Kevin and Riko like her.

“Is Taki-san getting under your skin?” She asks with laughter flickering in her eyes. This woman does not have an iota of malice in her body and it is disturbingly easy to trust her.

Ichirou sighs through a laugh. “A little, our personal shopper this weekend called him mine and my brothers’ ‘babysitter’ and he hasn’t let it go since. I have never been called ‘kid’, once in my entire life. I don’t think he means to be disrespectful, but...” Ichirou fights a frown, unsure why. “And now all these… _people_ keep looking at me like I am just a child. I don’t want Taki-san to end up the same way.”

“If I may be bold, young Lord,” Annabeth presses and Ichirou nods out of curiosity. “Taki-san is very fond of you and wants to form a bond — teasing is a common occurrence and not meant to be disrespectful or hurtful. In your case, young Lord, it is understandable you would not have ever been exposed to anything of the sort.” She smiles warmly. “I’m sure if you teased him back, it would be well received and he will continue supporting you as his employer.”

“I believe that is true.” Ichirou thinks that Taki truly does respect him, he always has, “However, I am not so certain it will make any of the others show me the same respect. I need two people to fulfill two positions that will require us to have somewhat of a personal relationship, as I will be allowing them into my home. The trainer for Kevin and Riko will be even harder because I need them to like the trainer and I need them to be both trustworthy and qualified for the job.”

“Do not worry, young Lord, even if it takes time, you will make things work. You have a very welcoming and trustworthy presence about you.” Annabeth smiles encouragingly and Ichirou inhales deeply before looking forward once more.

“Alright,” Ichirou runs a hand through his hair and shifts in his seat, feeling confident with Annabeth’s words. “One step at a time then.”

“Precisely.”

“Young Lord, mister Jacob Hunt has arrived for his interview,” Taki announces from the entrance of the Nest library. “Are you ready for him?”

Ichirou pulls his folder forward and takes out Jacob Hunt’s resume, skimming it. “Yes, please send him in,” he is polite with his orders, noting how Taki does seem to be genuine in his professionalism. Ichirou can’t help but give Annabeth a side glance, unable to miss the tiny twitch of her lips, threatening to smile wide.

“He's … energetic?  Er, friendly. Ah, interesting,” Taki informs him and it makes Ichirou tilt his head curiously. Taki walks out instead of elaborating and he looks at Annabeth curiously, receiving a shrug in response.

“Young Lord, this is Mr. Jacob Hunt,” Taki gestures to the tall, lean and tan, bleach blonde entering behind him. Ichirou is frozen at the sight of this man, casually dressed in a sleeveless muscle shirt, fitted track pants, and numerous piercings. It’s his smile, perfectly straight white teeth, set in an easy going grin that gets Ichirou, it makes his golden, tanned skin glow.

“Mr. Hunt, this is the young Lord, Ichirou Moriyama,” Taki brings Ichirou back to reality when he realizes he is just… staring at this young, athletic, muscular—

“Hey! Please call me Jake,” Jake greets, directing his perfect smile at Ichirou, only hesitating in confusion for a moment. “Thanks for the interview, uh, Ichirou was it? Oh! Sorry, do you prefer ‘young Lord’?” He doesn’t even appear put off by the title, in fact, Ichirou thinks _he_ might be more put off by _Jake_ addressing him so formally.

“Please call me Ichirou,” he manages to choke out and catches this _look_ flit across Taki’s face before he convinces himself to stand up, making a mental note to confront Taki after. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Jake.” He holds out his hand across the table, nodding at his strong grip and still cheerful smile as introductions are made, introducing Annabeth as well.

“I think you are the youngest dude to ever interview me, Ichirou,” Jake comments good-naturedly, that smile never leaving his face as they settle into their seats.

Ichirou feels obligated to hire him based on how accepting Jake is but knows how to restrain himself. He has an interview to conduct.

“Please tell me about yourself,” Ichirou starts, taking a moment to properly study Jake while he essentially recites his resume, verbatim. Instantly, he notes how he does not exude an intimidating presence in the least, even with his sleeveless muscle shirt showing off the beginnings of a tribal tattoo on his right arm. His numerous earrings are paired with a silver chain around his neck that has a cross on it and a scar on his eyebrow from either another piercing or a head wound. Given his numerous earrings, Ichirou is guessing the former.

“So, that’s me,” Jake finishes telling him about the last job he had over the summer and shifts in his seat, but not in an uncomfortable manner. This man has nothing to hide, Ichirou realizes and he likes that. “Is it you who needs a trainer?”

Ichirou actually wants to laugh at him, but he doesn't want to offend him for a reason he does not understand. Instead, he cracks a brief amused smile. “I am not in need of an instructor, I am your potential employer.” Jake looks surprised for a moment, but he recovers very quickly, shrugging.

“Alright, cool,” Jake smiles wider and leans back in his chair. “Then who?”

“I would like to know more about _you_ first, not the bullet points on your resume,” Ichirou tilts his head, watching confusion flood his eyes. “Your potential clients would be two individuals who are very important to me, so it is important that I know who I am entrusting them to.”

Jake’s smile is filled with amusement, much to Ichirou’s confusion, until he continues. “You remind me of my little brother Tanner, he’s very serious and straightforward - wants to know all the little details about everything.” Ichirou isn’t sure if he’s flattered or not, watching Jake hum and then shrug, relaxing into his seat while looking off to the side as he thinks. “Well uh, let’s see, I am the second oldest child of a pilot and a nurse. I have three younger siblings - Tanner, Tommy, and Angelica. My older sister Noel. Our parents are Lawrence and Kim Hunt.

“Noel is only a year older than me and went into the Air Force like our dad,” Jake states proudly. “She wanted me to join with her, but she supported me wanting to become a youth fitness instructor since I was always the one helping our younger sibs out. Like, I could get them all going for runs with me during the summer or weekends,” Jake begins gesturing with his hands, getting excited. “Sometimes we’d go hiking or go to the rec center to rock climb- anything to get them into expelling some of that limitless energy — you know? They’d bring their friends along and, well, I just fell in love with teaching kids.

“Well, since dad is constantly away and ma is at the hospital, we took care of them and Tanner wasn’t really into sports, so I would make it fun. I learned A ‘n P just to get him interested in it, just ‘cause he loves science so much. He is even helping me with the designs for my clothing line - stuff that betters your performance.” Jake gets this really warm, soft look on his face and Ichirou resists swallowing pointlessly. “Sorry. I’m just really close with my family and I’m proud of them all.”

Jake’s blinding smile returns and Ichirou forces himself to count to five in his head before opening his mouth. He likes Jake, there's just something about him that makes him feel warm and at ease but flustered? At the same time. “I understand how you feel,” Ichirou confesses, thinking about Kevin and Riko as he says this, unable to stop himself from swallowing at the fluttery feeling he gets when he prompts another warm smile from Jake. He needs to move this interview along so he can have a serious internal discussion over these weird reactions and feelings. They are so unprofessional.

“I would like you to look over these exercise plans and tell me what you think.” Ichirou pulls out a file from his binder beside him and hands it to Jake; inside are his brothers’ entire training program from cardio to weights and exy drills, but with any telling details on them omitted.

“Oh,” Jake blinks, “of course, let’s see…” Jakes abruptly shifts from his calm reminiscent state and back into ‘serious’ interview mode, opening the file and begins to read.

Ichirou watches him read, brow pinching in confusion and ticking his fingers as he makes calculations in his head. He watches as Jake seems to focus so intently he forgets what he is doing and leans over the file, hunched over while running a hand through his bleach blonde hair and tapping the table and flipping to the next section and after that he looks up at Ichirou, blinking.

“Thoughts?” Ichirou tilts his head.

“This plan is actually very intense for a youth exy player, shi— I mean, it’s a lot for most adults just trying to stay in shape, you know?” Jake stares at Ichirou. “The hours here…”

“How old would you say the individuals following that program are?” Ichirou asks carefully.

“Well, given that you are hiring a _youth_ fitness trainer, the weight is kind of low, but if they are toning and not bulking up… I’m guessing fourteen?” Jake shrugs.

“The last instructor had Kevin and Riko on this program, they are four and half years old,” Ichirou corrects him. Jake’s eyes bulge out of his head and then he starts laughing, making Ichirou narrow his eyes at him.

“Oh, th-that’s a good one, Ichirou, you really had me going there,” Jake grins, back to his cheerful self. Ichirou blinks at him, expression serious and watches his expression fall. “Wait, really?” Jake looks to Annabeth, but she is silently taking notes as she has been this entire time. He goes to open the file again, but Ichirou hands him the original to him, without any omitted information and after reading a bit of information, appears nauseated. “This is…”

“What would you change, so that they can continue to develop properly, without losing any of the skill and strength they have gained already?” Ichirou tilts his head, watching Jake reach for a marker on the table, immediately crossing out and editing everything on the omitted file.

Ichirou glances at Taki standing in the doorway, sporting an amused smile on his face that makes Ichirou narrow his eyes at him suspiciously while Jake works. It takes Jake a solid ten minutes to write out a rough plan for Kevin and Riko that he places in front of Ichirou that brings him back to the present. Ichirou picks up the paper with both hands while Jake caps the marker, smiling at him.

“I'd have to work with them to figure out what will be the best way to train them, but this is what I suggest.”

Ichirou hums as he reads, at least he seems to know what he is doing.

“This is better, before I make a decision, I would like you to meet my little brothers,” Ichirou finally decides and watches Jake's eyes widen briefly and then he smiles.

“Sounds great!”

Ichirou feels his heart skip a beat and swallows.

 

~

 

“ _Someone has a crush,_ ” Taki mutters in Japanese as he stands beside Ichirou in the weight room. Jake is inspecting the top of the line weights and machines, seemingly in awe.

Ichirou feels his eye twitch, annoyed as he watches Jake, pulse elevated and his neck feels warm.  “ _Excuse you? What are you going on about?_ ”

“ _You haven't taken your eyes off him since he showed up,_ ” Taki grins as Ichirou huffs at him. “ _You're blushing and practically drooling- it's_ _adorable_ _._ ” Taki barks out a laugh when Ichirou growls at him. Their backs straighten when Jake looks over and he smiles before returning to the weight rack. Ichirou feels his face heat up as Taki snickers behind his hand, speechless.

“ _I think he's too old for you, Ichirou,_ ” Taki grins when wider when Ichirou tears his eyes away to glare at him.

“ _I don't have a crush!_ ” Ichirou snaps, balling up his fists.

“Young Lord,” Annabeth calls from the doorway, smiling as Kevin and Riko zip past her, running to Ichirou. “Your brothers just came from the shower.” She had pulled them from practice early at Ichirou's request and against Tetsuji's wishes. She excuses herself when her cell phone rings.

“Brother!” Kevin and Riko shout as they jump on their brother and Ichirou grunts, grinning as he lifts them into a hug.

“You were gone _forever_!” Riko whines into his neck, his wet hair, tickles Ichirou's face.

Ichirou chuckles and kisses Riko's face and then Kevin's. He's unable to stop smiling as they cling to him, forgetting himself. “I haven't been gone that long and we spoke at bedtime and before breakfast,” he laughs and tries to set them down, as usual, Riko doesn't let go. Kevin clings to his leg after releasing his hold. “Come on Riko.”

“No! I'm not letting go!” Riko insists and wraps his legs around his waist, squeezing so hard that Ichirou winces.

“Okay,” Ichirou gives in, squeezing Riko back and drops a hand down to stroke Kevin's hair, his leg gripped tighter in response. When he looks up he finds Taki holding his phone up, pointed at the three of them, grinning wide. Jake is smiling brilliantly at them and Ichirou has to smile back, his face heating up _again_.

“ _Brother, who is that_?” Kevin stage whispers in Japanese as he looks over to Jake, surprising Ichirou at how well spoken he is in the language. Ichirou figured they had been learning since they were children but… Ichirou decides to think about it later, gently tugging on Kevin’s damp hair to get his attention, switching to English.

“This is Jake, he is a youth weight trainer that-” Ichirou frowns as Kevin darts behind his legs and Riko flinches, burying his face into Ichirou’s neck. He looks up as Taki shifts over to stand half in front of them to create a barrier between the brothers and Jake. Jake’s smile falters, appearing confused and then after a moment, almost understanding. Ichirou should have worded that differently, given how terrified they were of their previous instructor…

Still, he meets Jake’s gaze when he speaks again. “Boys, I promised the both of you that I would look after you. - I would never allow anyone dangerous to your well-being to even come _near_ .” Ichirou’s words, heavy and unyielding make Jake grow rigid, his expression serious. “Anyone who tries to hurt _my brothers_ will be _dealt with_ before they can lay a hand on either of you. Understood?”

“Yes, brother,” come their quiet voices, thankfully there is no sign that they don’t believe him.

Jake nods at Ichirou and Ichirou feels that he can trust Jake understands what he is saying. He might not be aware of what the name ‘Moriyama’ means, but he seems to have an idea.

“Kevin and Riko, was it?” Jake finally speaks up, his expression shifting into one with warmth, making him very approachable. “Hey, as your big brother here said, I’m Jake.” Ichirou feels Riko jolt just a bit at the sound of his name, and Kevin’s hands tighten around his legs.

“Come on now,” Ichirou whispers into Riko’s ear, thinking of how Kevin always looks to him for direction. “Give Jake a chance. If you don’t like him, I’ll send him away.”

Riko pulls away from his neck and looks him in the eye, his brown eyes wide with awe, as if he had never been given a choice before. Never had his opinion valued.

That is probably true.

“Okay.” Riko nods and Ichirou gives him a small smile before leaning to put him down. This time he does let go and looks up at Jake, his small athletic body now sporting perfect posture. Ichirou tilts his head when Riko briefly extends his hand out, but then Kevin slips from behind him and stands next to Riko, matching his posture exactly.

“Hello Jake, I’m Riko, this is my brother Kevin. We are training to be strikers for the Ravens.” Riko’s introduction is well rehearsed and way too formal for a child.

Ichirou wants to maim Tetsuji all over again, especially watching Jake’s eyebrows shoot up to his hairline. The both of them recover quickly though, Jake’s smile returns as he takes a knee before the boys, extending his right hand to Riko. Riko pauses, staring at it and then grasps it in a firm handshake even though his hand is practically engulfed in Jake’s. When Jake does the same to Kevin, he glances at Riko before doing the same.

“It’s nice to meet you Riko, Kevin,” Jake balances with a hand barely touching the ground, making eye contact with both of them. Ichirou watches the tension slip off of their tiny bodies similar to the way they had when they properly met Taki. “So you play exy? That’s really cool.”

Ichirou fights a groan when his brothers get excited at Jake’s interest. At least they are comfortable with him. In seconds the boys are excitedly going over everything about their daily routine. Jake looks as upset as he had earlier but he smiles up at Ichirou when they start gushing about their big brother.

Ichirou feels his face heat up and hears Taki’s quiet chuckle, suddenly realizing, ‘ _maybe I do have a crush…’_ He fights the feelings that come with it for the rest of the time Jake is getting to know Kevin and Riko. The look on Taki’s face says everything and Ichirou has never been more embarrassed.

 

\---

 

Jake, after being comfortably accepted by Kevin and Riko, began working with them that day under Annabeth’s supervision. Ichirou had the unfortunate task of informing Tetsuji of the new person working in the Nest. Needless to say, he did not take it well. Taki was there to back him as he stared his uncle down and told him how it would be. Ichirou nearly rolled his eyes at Tetsuji’s argument of ‘their weight training is at a delicate stage—’ and blah blah blah. He had to tune it out because even if Jake hadn’t explained it, Ichirou already knew the damage that could be caused to their tiny bodies if anything went wrong.

Not to mention the psychological damage. Ichirou didn’t even want to think about that in the slightest, what about the damage already done?

Ichirou has to push it away, to focus on the now and the future. It is easy to do that as he falls into a routine once he picks a housekeeper (a man named Omar with three kids that Ichirou now knows far too much about) who will be there four times a week. They finally have a chef (Colette, her French accent is very soothing) to finally get back on track with his proper diet and stop eating takeout. Taki told him to stop being hard on himself and to just live a little.

This is advice he wants to desperately follow and yet, can’t seem to do it. Either way, Ichirou feels lighter, happier with each passing day. He spends every day at Evermore, completing his studies and maintaining his regular fitness routine and learning everything there is to know about Exy, the Ravens and the players, the Nest, Castle Evermore itself and Edgar Allen University. It’s good a good first step towards becoming the businessman he has been bred to be, as his father had said in an email.

However, none of that compares to each moment he has with his brothers and every Friday afternoon he gets to bring them back home and be with them. Every little thing is a whole new experience for Kevin and Riko, and Ichirou is excited to look on as they shed the excess weight of being a ‘Raven in training’ at the gates of the Nest and transform into real children.

They smile and laugh and never run out of questions, hanging all over Ichirou like tiny squirrels without a care in the world. It’s so foreign that Ichirou finds himself stopping to watch his brothers quite frequently, be it when they are sprinting around the backyard or following, Omar, Colette or Taki around to see what they are doing and why— always why— they are doing it. It leaves an ache under his sternum that he doesn’t quite understand.

Taki likes to push Ichirou into the middle of everything if he catches him just watching from the sidelines and Ichirou is not bothered by it. He knows he should be, that he should reprimand Taki, tell him he is his boss and what that means, but not once has he been disrespectful. Playful and teasing, as Annabeth had pointed out, but not disrespectful. There is something about how he treats not only Ichirou but Kevin and Riko as well, it is familial, maybe… It becomes painstakingly more and more clear that Taki is an aspiring photographer and his favorite subjects just so happen to be Ichirou, Kevin and Riko.

Omar and Colette are two different extremes. Omar talks loudly and at length about his family, telling the boys about how his youngest son Luis also loves the sport. Colette sings to herself in French and tuts at Taki of all people when he constantly tries to sneak a sample of whatever she is making when preparing the meals for the day. They seem to be trustworthy, reliable on the job and easy to get along with.

Annabeth proves to be willing to be more than only Kevin and Riko’s tutor, sticking around the Nest to help Ichirou take note of everything happening and provide insight. Ichirou finds himself at ease, as he had from the start, and able to talk with her in a familiar manner, the lovely woman dropping the severe formalities and sticking with Ichirou. She continues to use ‘young Lord’ when around formal company. Ichirou continues to show his growing respect for her, by addressing her as ‘Miss Annabeth’.

Jake— Ichirou didn’t even want to think about him, as Taki was insistent on making Ichirou _very_ aware of how flustered he would get around the tall, muscular blond. His brother’s weight trainer with eyes, blue as the ocean and a smile that lights up the room and— and Ichirou has to constantly remove himself from being around Jake, smiling politely and vanishing with a frantic pulse and his cheeks burning. The closer Jake becomes to the boys, the friendlier and more casual he behaves toward everyone else. Therefore; friendly touches and behaviours are becoming _a thing_ and Ichirou is _dying_ . Taki, of course, thinks it is _hilarious_.

He still has to deal with Tetsuji, less than he had anticipated, but he is pretty confident that it might be because he gave in and allowed his brothers to continue the hectic schedule for five days a week. Tetsuji is only allowed to work with Kevin and Riko while supervised by someone vetted by Ichirou himself and as expected, neither of them return to Ichirou crying or covered in bruises. With Jake’s help, they are able to help keep Kevin and Riko on the right track toward their goal of becoming ‘Exy Stars’, without negating any of their progress. Ichirou only allows this at all because Kevin and Riko nearly had a fit when he tried to convince them to reduce their practice time.

If only he could be so lucky to get them to be interested in something other than that god-forsaken sport…

With everything going on, Ichirou somehow _blinked_ and he was receiving an email from his father to return to New York City on the twenty-seventh for yearly closing reports. He had stared at the email for a good minute while getting ready to pick up his brothers from the Nest and at first could not remember the last time he saw his father.

When he does, it knocks the breath out of him. It had been late August; he can still remember the tearing of his throat as he had yelled at his father and the way his father had just...crumpled. Taki calls that it is time to go from the hallway and he shuts down his laptop and stands to grab his coat and bag. Kevin and Riko aren’t going to like this. Taki frowns when told on the drive to E.A.U., but he voices his understanding to make arrangements.

 

~

 

The team is still at the Nest when they show up on December 24th, and in the middle of their last scheduled practice before Tetsuji allows them to leave for three days to visit family. Ichirou meets his brothers sprinting out of the locker room in their uniforms sans armor, still drenched in sweat, and brings them to clean up in their dorm room. They are chattering nonstop about how excited they are for Christmas! Because ‘Miss Annabeth and Jake has been telling us alllll about it’ and they would not stop. Ichirou is not about to try, either.

Annabeth and Jake are at the Nest too, even though they didn’t have to be, wanting to wish them a Merry Christmas in person. Annabeth beams as she hands over a large, covered tray of baked goods (Ichirou cannot help but wonder _why_ ) and Jake scoops up Kevin and Riko in a huge hug that leaves the boys screaming with laughter before he turns on Ichirou. Ichirou chokes on his own breath and not because he is hugged too tightly, but he does manage to bashfully return the hug as well. When released he actually manages a genuine laugh when his hair is ruffled, only to be struck speechless as he is handed a small wrapped gift and thanks Jake with a slight bow of the head while he passes them to the boys, Taki and Annabeth. He elbows Taki when he hears him chuckle the second no one is looking and only serves to make him laugh more.

All of this is new to him, the ‘holiday spirit’ as Taki calls it when everyone became nicer and brighter. It happened around Thanksgiving as well and for Ichirou these holidays are new, positive events for his brothers and himself to ease into their lives. Of course, they did not ‘ease into anything’. The people he surrounded himself and his family with were thrown in head first and overwhelmed in the best way.

It started with Halloween - Annabeth brought up Halloween and gave the boys candy. Taki laughed at Ichirou as he chased two sugar high athletes around their house, only to have to carry them to bed after they crashed before dinner. Thanksgiving was better; Colette made them a healthier version of the carb and calorie loaded meal and watched the parade on the television. _That,_ Ichirou remembered, having seen the balloons from his penthouse rooftop. Christmas was all business-related and when his mother was alive, she would take him for a walk in Central Park. Holidays were never jovial and social for him, but he is enjoying the casual, informal interactions with these people and he wonders if this is what _normal_ feels like.

The small party is heading to the parking garage connected to the stadium, Ichirou between Annabeth and Taki as they follow Kevin and Riko hanging off of Jake. The three of them are giggling as Jake swings them up the steps, two at a time. Four months ago, the boys were far more timid, shy, fearful; almost robotic. Now they are learning to be children, as he imagines they should be. They still have their issues and their off days; Kevin gets rocked when his routine is messed with, and Riko can become frustrated over the smallest things. It’s still good, better than anything they could have asked for.

In the parking garage, the Ravens are loading up their identical black cars with their identical luggage, the only distinctions being the license plates and the names on their bags. The team sees them and most wave and wish them a Merry Christmas, but the team’s top four players that they sit with during meals run over to say goodbye and offer fearless smiles to Ichirou and ruffle Kevin and Riko’s hair. Strange how they could barely speak to him upon their first meeting, but Ichirou appreciates the change.

With all the excitement of the team zipping away from E.A.U., to make the most of their two-day vacation, Ichirou almost forgets the gifts for Annabeth and Jake. Taki had suggested money so he had written two checks and stared at Taki as he choked at the numbers on said checks. He only understood why when his employees opened the cards they were tucked in and their face turned white. Maybe it was too much? Ichirou has no proper concept of money, he realizes and moves forward with his plans. Everyone says their goodbyes and Jake helped Ichirou get the boys into their car seats before they headed home.

 

~

 

After a couple of these social holidays under their belts, the brothers are happy to let Taki take the lead and entertain them during Christmas. They eat the bite-sized trays of food Colette had left for them before heading to her own holiday festivities. Omar had decorated a tiny tree for them and told them he’d be with his family for the next couple of days. Taki sits them down to snack while he plays them his favorite Christmas movies and encourages them to play outside for a while. This results in a game of tag that Taki starts since it is the only game the three of them really understand the concept of.

They go to bed and in a blink it’s morning and there isn’t a lot of excitement until a breakfast of cinnamon rolls with way too much icing (“Taki-san…”) and opening gifts that Ichirou had not known about. When Kevin and Riko open up two lightsabers, Taki is more excited than they are while Ichirou counts down in his head until they try wielding them like their exy sticks, making his bodyguard sigh heavily (“We’re watching Star Wars next.”). Meanwhile, Ichirou is rather pleased with his new lavender sweater and makes a note to get something for Taki’s upcoming birthday. He has an idea when Taki takes more pictures of the three of them with his phone as Kevin and Riko start getting _really_ into figuring out what their lightsabers were meant for. Taki cannot look prouder.

Christmas day goes by quickly and the boys seem to be thrilled to spend time with Ichirou, as they are every day, but something about the holiday makes it feel brighter. Ichirou wants to try and improve on their holidays next year. Make them more memorable and create traditions they can look forward to.

Ichirou has to smile at that, because he is _planning_ and looking forward to the _future_ . This must be what happiness is. It eases the blow when he tells Kevin and Riko that he and Taki are leaving for three days for New York City and would be back in time for Taki’s birthday (“You better, Kev ‘n me have _plans_ .” “ _‘Plans’_ , Riko?” “ _Yes._ ” “Alright then.”). Even after leaving them in the capable hands of Annabeth and Jake, he is clung to before being allowed to leave and he promises to rush back home as soon as he could. With more promises to call three times a day and to be back soon, Ichirou left for Manhattan to see his father.

 

\---

 

‘ _It’s just for three days,_ ’ Ichirou reminds himself the entire journey there, praying that this ‘closing reports meeting’ will go quickly so that he can return to his brothers. To the life, he has been building with them and Taki, to the… _friends_ he has made.

When they arrived at the penthouse though, Ichirou freezes at the sight of his father in the foyer, flanked by his bodyguard Yuudai. It hits Ichirou all at once that he has not seen or spoken to his father beyond emails in four months. Nothing except business and Ichirou hadn’t even really paid any mind to it as his grandfather had not allowed much bonding to take place after he took his mother from him.

Kengo looks… fragile held together with the buttons and seams on his suit alone. His skin is sallow and lacking brightness, his once warm brown eyes are now dull and tired, highlighted with purple bruises that are poorly concealed with make-up. His black hair is smoothed back neatly, but it has lost its shine and vibrancy. His clothes are starting to hang off of his body, as he is clearly malnourished. When he lifts the glass in his hand to take a sip, he trembles ever so slightly, easily missed by someone who is not looking for it.

“Ichirou-kun,” Kengo’s weak voice snaps Ichirou back to reality and he steps towards him after Taki nudges him between his shoulder blades. “It has been too long, welcome back.” He offers a polite nod of his head and Ichirou is moving before he realizes.

“Father!” Ichirou wraps his arms around his father and presses his face into his chest. The sound of Kengo’s glass shattering as it hits the ground doesn’t make him flinch. Kengo grabbing him back in a tight embrace and letting out a shuddering breath that sounds dangerously close to a sob, however, makes Ichirou whimper and hold on tighter. Even through his clothes, Ichirou can feel how much weight his father has lost, the muscle definition that is now lacking.

“ _Ichirou…_ ” Kengo almost sobs into his hair, clinging to him.

“ _What happened, Father_?” Ichirou whispers into his chest as he holds him, hearing Taki and Yuudai murmur to each other before leaving the room.

“ _I missed you…_ ” Kengo chokes and Ichirou squeezes him harder. When Ichirou feels his chest tighten, it leaves him wondering if the icy facade he spent years perfecting was ruined by Kevin and Riko. Feeling tears drip into his hair, he supposes it really doesn’t matter.

 

~

 

A couple of hours later finds the father and son in Kengo’s office, in front of the coffee table with stacks of paper and two mugs of tea, sitting side by side. They haven’t spoken of their emotional reunion since they parted and Ichirou is not sure what he would even say, but the smile he is offered reaches Kengo’s eyes that time, thankfully.

Seeing his father so sickly and unwell had shaken Ichirou up quite a bit and he does not like it. He intends to corner Yuudai later and find out what has been going on.

For now, Kengo seems to be in a good mood, but his hands are still shaking and Ichirou gets a waft of alcohol on his breath.  He glances at the decanter in the corner of the office. Thinking of their last encounter and how he had yelled at his father and how guilty he appeared. Ichirou had attacked his father out of anger and was shown humility and respect. On one hand, his father needed to know how angry he was at the situation, on the other… his father did not deserve to be treated like that. They have both fought their battles and instead of uniting with him, he shut him out. How is he supposed to change things around here by hurting the people he loves so dearly?

“It’s not like you to space out, Ichirou-kun,” Kengo brings Ichirou back to the present, looking up from the stack of papers he was supposed to be verifying on Castle Evermore’s expenses. They are all already signed by Tetsuji, but now he has to make sure what Tetsuji submitted is the same as his findings, at least as far back as the last four months. He realizes he hasn’t done any work for the last five minutes and frowns at his father.

“I’m sorry,” Ichirou finally speaks up, lowering his eyes as Kengo snaps his gaze to him. He looks back up when his cheek is cupped and his father turns to him. “Sir?”

“ _No_.” Kengo presses his mouth in a thin line. “You have nothing to be sorry for, Ichirou, you spoke the truth and you shouldn’t apologize for that.”

Ichirou frowns, and finds himself hesitating, trying to find a delicate way to ask his question. “Why haven’t you met Riko?”

“I wasn’t fit to be his father then and I wasn’t one to you — not even now.” Kengo looks away, his hand petting over Ichirou’s hair before he grasps his shoulder. His eyes widen as Ichirou slides over to sit with his leg pressed against his. Ichirou still feels small beside him, despite the fact that his father is...shrunken.

“You are not well, Father,” Ichirou swallows, leaning into his father’s side when his arm wraps around him, eyes slipping closed as he relishes in the comforting contact. “I am worried about you.” His frown deepens at his father’s humorless chuckle. “Sir?”

“You are so much like your mother, Ichirou-kun. It is incredible.” Kengo pinches the bridge of his nose, shaking his head. “Such compassion, even when you have every right to be angry.”

Ichirou smiles at this, heart warm as he swells with pride. “I miss her,” Ichirou whispers and smiles as fingers comb through his hair.

“I do too,” Kengo sighs, chest heaving with a deep breath. “Your hair is getting long,” he changes the subject abruptly, Ichirou isn’t even upset.

“I haven’t found a trustworthy barber.” Honestly, he didn’t even look.

“It suits you,” Kengo surprises him, smoothing down his hair, it has grown past the tips of his ears already, tickling the nape of his neck. Ichirou looks up at him when he tugs on a lock, finding a mischievous smile on his father’s face. “Daiki would have hated it.”

Ichirou grins as he laughs, collapsing into his chest, hugging him again. “I’m never cutting my hair again.” His smile grows as Kengo laughs. They don’t get any work done for the next hour.

 

~

 

During a break, Ichirou seeks out the house staff to do some investigating on his father’s wellbeing. According to Yuudai (who started staying around the penthouse out of concern for the Lord), Kengo’s alcohol consumption has tripled in the last four months. The chef and housekeepers report he keeps sending food back barely touched, and Yuudai confesses that he has started working from home four days out of the week, only leaving to attend meetings and trying to avoid even that. When asked if his father had been exercising or sleeping properly, doing _anything_ that was good for him, Yuudai frowns and shakes his head. Ichirou only feels worse after that; he took a deep breath.

“Please have the family doctor come look at my father by tomorrow.”

“Yes, young Lord.”

Kengo, even though Ichirou’s return and mending their relationship — or are they creating one? — has lifted his spirits, he is still very clearly unwell. All of this was uncharacteristic for the two of them, but Ichirou does not see this as a bad thing and knows it is a step in the right direction.

So when the doctor arrives first thing the next morning, Ichirou greets him with a polite nod and brings him to his father’s office where he is sorting through their paperwork that they need to do by the end of the day.

“ _Father_ ,” Ichirou calls respectfully in Japanese from the door and his father looks up, suddenly on edge when he sees the doctor beside him. Before he can argue, Ichirou motions at the doctor. “ _Father, you remember Muranaka-sensei? I asked him to come and look in on you_.”

Kengo’s eyes dart from the doctor’s calm expression to Ichirou’s worried face. “ _Ichirou, this is-_ ”

“ _Please_ ,” Ichirou frowns. “ _For me?_ ”

Kengo sighs, visibly giving in to the request and nods, beckoning the doctor over. “ _Very well, please Muranaka-sensei, if you will, my son and I have business to attend to_.”

“ _Of course, my Lord, I will be efficient with your time_.”

And he is, Dr Muranaka works with a practiced ease once Kengo removed his suit jacket, shirt and tie, revealing a white undershirt concealing part of his tattooed upper body. Ichirou stays when he is asked to, politely averting his gaze while his father is examined. The doctor does not make any comments about Kengo’s condition, telling him what he will be doing, each step of the way. He takes his blood pressure and pulse, blood oxygen and listens to his lungs. He checks his eyes, ears, and throat, tests his reflexes and lungs. After weighing him and taking (a lot of) his blood for later testing, Ichirou is shooed out of the room for five minutes.

When called back in, Dr Muranaka is writing a script while Kengo is redressing himself.

“ _I want you to take these with food every morning._ ” He places the script on the coffee table. “ _I highly recommend that you reduce your alcohol consumption significantly, increase your fluid intake as well as eating a minimum of two balanced meals a day. How much are you sleeping?_ ”

Kengo pauses in tying his tie and lets it hang around his neck. He sits down heavily on the couch almost as if he had just prevented himself from falling, worrying both the doctor and Ichirou, but they are waved off and he pinches the bridge of his nose. “ _I don’t sleep. When I try, is not restful and I am not refreshed_ .” He glances at Ichirou momentarily. “ _Last night was the first night in months that I have been able to sleep at all_.”

Kengo’s confession makes Ichirou feel sick and his chest ache.

“ _I will write you a script for a sleep aid, please only use it on nights you have difficulty sleeping, to ensure you get at least six hours of decent sleep._ ” He scribbles on his prescription pad and makes a note in his little black notebook. “ _I will call you with your blood test results, my Lord,_ ” he bows. “ _Is there anything else I can do for you?_ ”

“ _No, thank you Muranaka-sensei, you may go_ ,” Kengo nods his head politely.

Dr Muranaka bows and gathers his things before exiting. Kengo turns to Ichirou with tired eyes.

“Are you happy now?” Kengo asks in English, sounding as tired as he looks.

“I will be happy if you are healthy, sir,” Ichirou frowns and jumps when his pocket vibrates. Kengo looks at him expectantly as he pulls out his phone. “It’s my brothers-”

“Come back after you speak with them.” Kengo looks to the paperwork on the coffee table.

“Father-”

“Go.”

Ichirou bows his head and answers his phone, immediately greeted by two excited voices screaming his name. His heart aches with longing to be with his brothers and he can’t control his smile as he exits his father’s office, spending the next ten minutes talking to Kevin and Riko.

 

~

 

Kengo is in deep thought for the rest of the day, but he does not appear to be upset with Ichirou. For that alone, Ichirou is very grateful and assists with the remainder of paperwork. Neither of them bring up Riko or Dr Muranaka’s visit today. Ichirou notes that Kengo glances over at his decanter occasionally, but does not get a drink. He watches him carefully eat his small portions at dinner from the corner of his eye. He feels the weak tension in the air and hears his train of thought racing through his mind.

Ichirou takes all of his phone calls into the next room, very confused about what they mean by they are going to show everyone that they are destined to be the best exy players in the world. He wants to talk about them with his— _their_ father but doesn’t want to disturb Kengo. Their work is too important to mess up. At least by the third and last day of his visit, the dark circles beneath Kengo’s eyes have lessened in severity. Ichirou even watches as he diligently swallowed two pills with a full glass of water at breakfast. He hopes he keeps it up.

When it is time to leave, Ichirou shoos Taki (who tugs Yuudai out of the room with him) to speak to his father alone. After he gets ready to travel, Ichirou’s dark grey, winter pea-coat makes Kengo lift an eyebrow but he says nothing as he fixes the collar and smoothes back his hair. Ichirou can’t help but crack a soft smile at the affectionate touch.

“Please take care of yourself,” Ichirou speaks softly, looking up at him and watching the warmth and gratitude seep into his warm brown eyes.

“I will, Ichirou-kun,” Kengo exhales shakily and squeezes his shoulder. “I will— I will attempt to make contact with Riko— ” Ichirou feels himself light up with hope, but his father continues. “I — if he wishes to know me.” Ichirou nods at this. “When he asks about me, you may tell him, but I want the decision to be his own, understood?”

Ichirou hesitates to agree, wondering if Riko would ever think to ask about him. It is better than nothing, but — “I will accept this, _if_ you promise to do as the doctor says, I…” Ichirou swallows and averts his gaze. “I don’t want to lose you too.” When there is silence in response, Ichirou looks back up and starts at the emotional look in Kengo’s eyes.

“I will never totally understand how you became this way after everything… but it’s _her_ , I know it.” Kengo presses his fingers to the middle of his forehead, eyes closed as he breathes slowly. “Ichirou-kun, you are your mother’s son, that is for certain.” Kengo drops his hand and gives him a gentle smile. Ichirou feels warm and steps in to hug his father again, smiling as it is returned. Somehow it feels… as if a warm bubble is wrapped around them. Protecting them.

When they part, Kengo cups his face with his hand, still shaking a bit as he caresses his cheekbone. “I will do as the doctor says. Don’t be a stranger, Ichirou-kun.” Ichirou detects a bit of envy in his voice and in his eyes.

Ichirou nods and smiles in relief. “I will father, I will keep in touch.”

Kengo visibly relaxes and Ichirou nods when his hand drops from his face. “Have a safe flight.”

“I will, bye!” Ichirou walks out and finds Taki and Yuudai in the foyer, their idle conversation stopping abruptly when he arrives. Taki tilts his head in question and Ichirou smiles, making him relax. Yuudai blinks at the interaction but says nothing other than bidding them a safe flight and leaves.

Taki respectfully waits until they are on their private plane to grill him and Ichirou has to question why he allows him to get away with any of it. Still, he has hope for the future now.

 

\---

 

Upon returning to West Virginia, the first thing they do is stop at Castle Evermore when dinner is in effect. Entering the cafeteria with Taki in tow, the Ravens' response to his arrival is significantly different; despite their exhaustion they smile and wave in greeting, which he returns. Their distraction immediately draws the attention of his brothers, who shout in excitement, so he crouches down to receive them and scoops them up in a tight hug.

“Brother!” Kevin and Riko’s shouts are muffled by his coat, clinging tighter to him than their usual greeting.

“I missed you.” Ichirou can almost feel their tension melt away as he relaxes into the embrace for a moment, kissing their temples. When he goes to set them down, Riko clings tight in defiance as he normally does and Ichirou reaches for Kevin’s hand, expecting to escort them back to their table to finish eating.

Then he sees the black mark on Kevin’s face and looks at Riko’s to find a similar one, blinking. “What on Earth did you draw on your faces?”

“We’re gonna be the best Exy players _in the world_!” Riko beams, making the crudely drawn number one on his face crinkle.

Ichirou suddenly feels his jet lag catch up with him. He refrains from scowling as Taki chokes on a laugh.

“Yeah!” Kevin’s number two is even more horribly drawn on, still, he smiles proudly. “We want to join lil’ leagues!”

“Jake tol’ us ‘bout it!”

Ichirou stares at Riko and the Kevin’s now pleading face, eyes shining with anticipation. How can he say no to that? “I’ll look into it,” he winces at his own words.

Riko’s and Kevin’s excited screams make him wince again and he sets Riko down with the order to go finish their dinner. He glares at Taki and tells his grinning bodyguard to stuff it before they join his brothers, way too tired to deal with this. He can’t help but smile at their enthusiasm though, just glad they are happy. It won’t change the fact he hates exy though. He hopes he is making his mama proud at least.

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! I greatly appreciate kudos and comments, they are motivating and highly encouraging!
> 
> Thank you Godot for the art: http://still-waiting-for-godot.tumblr.com/
> 
> Chapter ten will be a time jump! I'm excited!
> 
> Taki, Annabeth, and Jake are my heroes! -happy tears-
> 
> Love, Nikos
> 
> HMU on Tumblr! I'm NikoTheSpoonKlepto there ^_^

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please comment or leave kudos if you enjoyed the story thus far. I have worked very hard on this and wanted to share it with everyone.


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